WILTSHIRE Police have agreed in principal a decision to form a strategic partnership with Avon and Somerset which will help both forces find efficiency savings.

Leaders of the two forces announced at the end of January that they had decided to widen their existing collaborations to help them achieve significant savings over the next five years.

At the meeting in Keynsham, near Bristol, on Wednesday they reached agreement to keep two independent chief constables accountable to two police and crime commissioners (PPCs).

Yet they will develop a common approach to policing and, wherever possible, the two partners will carry out activities together across the combined area.

They have set a target of £30 million in joint revenue savings by 2018/19 with resources for local policing preserved as far as possible.

Angus Macpherson, PCC for Wiltshire and Swindon, said: “My force needs to find savings of more than £10m over the next three years under the Government’s austerity programme.

"That is on top of the millions of pounds we have already saved since 2010. It is our considered view that the only way of achieving that level of savings is by entering this strategic alliance with Avon & Somerset.

"I would like to emphasise that local policing will continue to be managed and delivered locally in response to the needs of our particular communities.

“This will be a major piece of work, and it will take time, but I am pleased with the early progress and I am sure that the appointment of a programme director will provide additional momentum.”