CAMBRIDGESHIRE police could privatise its support services in a bid to save money.

The force, along with Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire police, will be asked later this month if it should to tackle a �73million funding shortfall created by Government cuts by outsourcing its support services which includes finance, ICT, fleet management and corporate communications.

The services, which also include estate and facilities management, business support, records and information management, and procurement, currently cost the three forces �77million a year and employ more than 1,100 people.

Earlier this year G4S took over Lincolnshire police model support services, with 540 employees making the move to the private firm - thought to be the biggest single transfer from the police to the private sector.

On June 28 Cambridgeshire Police Authority will be asked to approve plans to srutinise the business model for outsourcing support services through the existing Lincolnshire police framework, with G4S as the supplier.

Hertfordshire Police Authority will be asked on June 25, and Bedfordshire’s authority will decide on June 28.

The recommendation for a full business case was discussed on Wednesday (May 30) by the Police Authorities Joint Collaboration Working Group.

Since the Strategic Alliance between Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire was established in 2010, five joint units have been established, generating total savings of �2.5m per year.