Tripartite

In September 2004 the Scottish Executive invited public bodies to bid for funding to pursue “projects which stimulate a sustainable more efficient public sector and to demonstrate the liberation of resources for better front line use.” Subsequently in November 2004 the Scottish Executive published “Building a Better Scotland, Efficient Government – Securing Efficiency, Effectiveness and Productivity” which sets out plans to secure £745m of annual cash savings by 2007/08.

Subsequently, The Association of Police Officers Scotland (ACPOS), The Chief Fire Officers Association Scotland (CFOA(s) and the Scottish Ambulance Service collectively submitted an Efficient Government Stage 1 bid to support the funding of a national study into the potential for further collaboration across Fleet services. The stage one bid estimated savings of £1.2m per annum on a recurring basis. This bid was successful and in July 2005 the services were awarded up to £100,000 to develop a stage two bid. Specialist fleet management consultants were appointed in August 2005 and their final report (The Fleet Scoping Study) was received in February 2006.

The Fleet Scoping Study investigated and identified the potential synergies to be gained from greater collaboration of fleet management between the eight Police Forces, eight Fire and Rescue Services and the Scottish Ambulance Service in Scotland at a national level. Each organisation operates, manages and maintains its own fleet service. Collaboration across the services to date has been fairly limited and informal.

The Tripartite Fleet efficiency programme was awarded project funding up to a maximum of £1,297,500 following a project initiation meeting held with the then Scottish Executive EGF team on 13th September 2006, with an eighteen month timeframe.

A Project Board with representatives from each Service had been formed to develop and oversee the each bid phases. Following the successful award of the Stage 2 bid this Board was renamed the Project Review Group with specific references of administering, evaluating, implementing the project and reporting to Project Sponsors.

The Project Team consisting of a Project Administrator (Mrs Joan Nilsen) and three Programme Managers; Mr Neil Gillies (Scottish Ambulance Service) Mr Tony Chalk (ACPOS) and Mr Paul French (CFOA(s)) were recruited and in position March of 2007.