CAMBRIDGESHIRE police has signed an alliance with Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire forces in the hope of saving �20million.

Police chiefs have signed up to a strategic framework agreement which sets out how forces can work together to build greater efficiency and effectiveness of their service while also saving money.

The three forces hope that areas of policing, which could be merged or run as joint units, could save up to �20million per year by the end of 2015.

Simon Parr, Cambridgeshire’s chief constable, said: “Working together with Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire in this way will enable us to continue to provide the highest possible levels of service to the people of Cambridgeshire, making sure the resources we need to deliver that service are provided in the most cost effective way possible.

The three-force programme is building on the success of the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire joint collaboration programme which has, since 2007, developed 13 joint units.

Ruth Rogers, chair of the Cambridgeshire Police Authority, said: “The authority have scrutinised the proposals at every step of the way and will continue to do so.

“We are confident that this alliance is the way forward for Cambridgeshire and will protect funding for local policing.”