Private Scheme Dropped

Surrey Police Authority has confirmed it is pulling out of a privatisation scheme following the failure of security firm G4S to provide enough guards for the Olympics.

The authority announced in July that it was suspending its involvement in the project within hours of news that an initial 3,500 military personnel were being deployed during the Olympics to make up the shortfall.

The subject of business partnering happened to be on the agenda of one of the authority's regular public meetings that day.

The West Midlands and Surrey forces had drawn up a shortlist of six groups that have been bidding to take over "middle and back office functions'', including G4S.

The authority suspended the issue until the meeting to enable its members to consider the financial and legal implications.

A Surrey Police Authority spokesman said: "At a public meeting in Woking today, Surrey Police Authority, the body which oversees Surrey Police, confirmed its withdrawal from the Business Partnering for Police Programme.

"At its previous public meeting on Thursday July 12 2012, the authority decided to suspend its involvement in the joint Business Partnering programme and indicated that it was minded to withdraw entirely.

"However, members agreed that no final decision on withdrawal should be taken until a paper setting out the financial and legal implications of withdrawal could be presented and discussed in public.

"The authority will continue to support Surrey Police as it explores other options for becoming more efficient and effective.''