February 22, 2012 12.02 pm This story is over 153 months old

Police sign £200m outsourcing contract

Outsourcing: Around two-thirds of staff at Lincolnshire Police will be transferred to the private sector in £200m contract with signed G4S.

John Shaw, Managing Director of G4S Policing Support Services (L) signing the contract with Police Authority Chairman Barry Young (R)

Lincolnshire Police Authority signed on Wednesday a £200 million outsourcing contract with G4S, providing a range of support services over the next 10 years.

As previously reported, the authority is outsourcing particular services to meet cuts in government grants of £20 million in the next four years.

Now the contact is signed, G4S will take over from April 1 support services, ICT, finance, assets and facilities management, human resources and town inquiry offices.

The company will also take over the Central Ticket Office and Collisions Unit, parts of firearms licensing, crime management bureau, custody, the Criminal Justice Unit, the resource management unit and the force control room (except inspector role).

This means that around two-thirds — or 540 employees — of staff at Lincolnshire Police will be transferred to the private sector, according to BBC Lincolnshire.

Police Authority Chairman Barry Young said: “We knew we had set ourselves an ambitious programme, to be completed in a short timescale.

“By taking over a range of support functions, G4S will contribute to the force’s aim of being able to put 97% of its warranted officers in frontline roles by April.

“Crucially, the new strategic partnership will also deliver significant infrastructure investment that will offset the budget reductions called for by the government.

“I believe we are leading the way,” he added. “We have demonstrated that it is possible to negotiate a complex agreement in a relatively short period of time that will provide benefits well into the future.”

The contract also contains an option for extension to 15 years and G4S estimates that savings will top £28 million.

Lincolnshire Police Authority chose G4S out of five preferred bidders, after 160 companies showed initial interest in the contract.

Besides Lincolnshire, 10 other police authorities have expressed interest in the model, which could potentially save the UK’s forces £2 billion.

Custom-built police station in Nettleham

As part of the deal, G4S will also be permitted to design and build its own police station in Nettleham (subject to planning), with both cells and office space, named the Bridewell custody suite. (See G4S video of the complex)

Kim Challis, Group Managing Director, G4S Government and Outsourcing Services, said: “This new police station will be the first, tangible demonstration of the benefits this partnership will bring to Lincolnshire.

“But others, such as the planned Shared Services Centre, will place Lincolnshire at the heart of Britain’s policing future, generating vital additional income as well as creating new jobs,” he added.

John Shaw, Managing Director of G4S Policing Support Services, talks about the company’s landmark partnership with Lincolnshire Police Authority:

Source: Lincolnshire Police Authority