The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Emergency services in Lincolnshire could be working more closely together and sharing some locations in two years’ time.
County councillors are working on a plan for better collaboration, including:
- a joint police and fire headquarters and a co-located command and control centre at Nettleham (near Lincoln)
- a blue light tri-service campus – police, fire and ambulance – at South Park in Lincoln
- wider estates review sharing stations across Lincolnshire
- a review into how services can work more closely together
Funded by a £7.5m investment from the Government’s Police Innovation Fund and match funding from local services, the partners expect to deliver the programme by summer 2018.
Lincolnshire Police chief constable Neil Rhodes said: “As reported late last year, the blue light collaboration group (consisting of Lincolnshire Police, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue and the East Midlands Ambulance Service) have been working together to identify opportunities which would enable the emergency services to work more closely together to deliver a better service to the local community.
He added: “Our overarching principle is to improve the service we provide to Lincolnshire.”
Holbeach county councillor Nick Worth is the executive member for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue. He said: “This is a very interesting proposal and would see the emergency services in Lincolnshire using their buildings and estates in a more effective manner, which is in line with the Government’s agenda for closer collaboration.
“It would allow financial efficiencies in the longer term, better opportunities for closer working and will undoubtedly improve services for the public.”
And Andy Hill, general manager for Lincolnshire at EMAS said the service would be delighted to be involved.
The proposals will next be discussed by the county council’s executive members on Tuesday.(June 7)
