A new organisation that will pool the purchasing power of police and fire services in England and Wales in order to secure better deals and cut waste and duplication has been established.

Blue Light Commercial is the result of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) and National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Policing Vision 2025 report.

That report urged a new approach to delivering savings by undertaking shared procurement. It called for greater joint working between local authorities, emergency services and local police forces including the formal integration of back office functions.

It builds on ad hoc work being undertaken in some areas which has seen greater collaboration between police and fire services under PCCs including sharing buildings and vehicle fleet and other equipment procurement.

Blue Light Commercial is currently advertising for a £150K CEO to lead the organisation and an appointment is expected to be announced by 12 March.

The successful applicant will head up a team of 45 commercial managers located around the country who will collectively form a ‘single virtual team’ and act as the ‘go to’ organisation for policing and fire by “introducing best practice, improving quality and interoperability across a range of procurement and commercial categories and services.”

The new CEO will help establish an agile, ‘customer focused’, body that is responsive to the needs of PCCs and chief constables, the job ad states.

The CEO will lead the start-up of the organisation over an initial 12 -18 month period working with the Police ICT Company to provide a joined up commercial service to policing.  

According to its website the new organisation will provide support in a range of areas including commercial, procurement, shared services, data-analysis and market intelligence for policing in England and Wales and Fire and Rescue Services.

“As a membership organisation, we will work together to pool our collective purchasing power and influence and change markets to create better solutions and services for policing,” it says.