S22A Agreement under the Police Act 1996 (as amended) for the collaboration of the Firearms and Explosives Licensing function between Bedfordshire Police, Cambridgeshire Constabulary and Hertfordshire Constabulary

Decision

To sign the Section 22A Agreement under the Police Act 1996 (as amended) for Cambridgeshire Constabulary to share the Firearms and Explosive Licensing function with Bedfordshire Police and Hertfordshire Constabulary.

Decision Summary

The Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner’s Business Coordination Board (“the Board”) meeting on the 26^th November 2015 discussed and agreed the proposal for Cambridgeshire Constabulary (“the Constabulary”) to share the Firearms and Explosive Licensing function with Bedfordshire Police and Hertfordshire Constabulary based on the information set out in the Board paper by entering into a Section 22A Agreement (“the Agreement”) under the Police Act (as amended) to effect the collaborative arrangements for the purpose of providing efficient and effective policing.

• The proposal and the Agreement was also subject to the consideration and agreement of the respective Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, at their Strategic Alliance meeting on the 27^th November 2015. Legal advice had been obtained in respect of the Agreement and as such the Strategic Alliance members were assured that the Agreement is legally sound and in line with Home Office Statutory Guidance on Police Collaboration (October 2012).
• The rationale for entering into the Agreement to collaborate the function was based on:
• the full business case proposing a single tri-force structure and process, between Bedfordshire Police, the Constabulary, and Hertfordshire Constabulary (BCH) to manage applications, renewals and revocations of firearms and explosives licences, and manage risk and appropriate use of intelligence.
• the financial benefit and the provision of resilience.