Combining services with neighbouring police forces will help with £9million of savings, says the new chief constable of Cambridgeshire Constabulary.

At a meeting of Huntingdonshire District Council on Wednesday, September 30, Alec Wood spoke to councillors about where savings will need to come from.

He said: “It is about ensuring that we deliver the best possible service.

“Increasing collaborative working will involve the merger of the crime investigation, serious and organised crimes units.

“There will be further collaboration of some of the services we deliver across the county.”

He highlighted that the main collaboration will initially take place in the human resources and ICT departments that will join with Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.

“We are looking to deliver services more cost effectively, for every £100,000 I can save in back office I can keep three police officers on the street.”

Mr Wood confirmed to The Hunts Post last week that in the challenge to save money it will mean the loss of jobs.

He said: “Our focus in protecting our main front-line services and making sure we are efficient, which means collaborating as much as we can with other forces, and using technology as a solution to back office roles. The harsh reality is that we are talking about jobs.”

Mr Wood acknowledged that the combination of these departments will not total the £9million saving that is needed in the coming years which will mean that “other functions will take out a review budget.”

However he has warned that in order to make savings there maybe disagreements with the police and crime commissioner for Cambridgeshire Sir Graham Bright

“There will be moments when I have differences of view – when I need to be I will be robust and challenge the commissioner,” added Mr Wood.