Top improvement and efficiency award for Essex Police and Kent Police
Thursday, 06 March, 2014
The joint Essex and Kent Support Services Directorate has won a national Improvement and Efficiency Award for Police Project of the Year 2014.
The directorate (SSD) won an iESE Improvement and Efficiency Award for its major shared services programme to converge support functions in both Essex Police and Kent Police.
The programme provided improved service quality while delivering cost-effective shared services, increased resilience and financial savings.
And the hard work paid off when the programme won the award for Police Project of the Year yesterday, Tuesday, March 4, at a ceremony hosted by iESE (The Improvement and Efficiency Social Enterprise).
The award recognises the force deemed to have delivered an innovative project in transforming police services.
Mark Gilmartin, Director of Essex and Kent Support Services Directorate, said: “This award is testament to the efforts and contribution of all our teams to support operational policing in the two forces. To quote the judging panel, ‘what was exceptional three years ago is now just the bare minimum to be shortlisted’. This was a great effort from our teams and their managers.”
Nick Alston, Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex, commented: “This national award demonstrates that Essex and Kent are at the forefront of police force collaboration, delivering an effective and efficient service, both for our busy teams of officers and staff and, crucially, for the people of our counties.
“I thank everyone whose hard work and dedication played its part in winning this award. I am delighted that the professionalism and commitment of all those working in our Support Services Directorate has been recognised and praised and that Essex Police and our partners in Kent have together improved delivery whilst reducing costs.”
Ann Barnes, Kent Police and Crime Commissioner, added: “I’m delighted that Kent and Essex have won this award, especially as I helped to kick-start this collaboration from its infancy in 2007.
“It’s an indication of how hard officers and staff have been working on collaboration all that time and I applaud all those involved.
“We mustn’t forget that forces have to change and evolve all the time as funds are so tight but, rather than sit back, both Kent and Essex have taken the bull by the horns, paving the way for innovation and value for money.”
Cllr Paul Bettison, iESE chairman, said: “Being able to say well done to those working tirelessly behind the scenes to keep much-relied-upon services going is extremely important, as is the keen sharing of ground-breaking knowledge.
“Our Improvement and Efficiency Awards give those at the cutting edge of change the chance to join together, showcase radical thinking and learn from each other to ensure the sector is as robust as possible and fit for the future.”
