Derbyshire Constabulary
The challenge
The police force needed to find significant, lasting efficiencies in response to growing demand and tightening budgets. Key objectives included:
Identifying and delivering cashable savings
Developing a proof of concept for a replicable change approach
Building the confidence and capability of internal teams to lead future work
The result
We applied a phased approach, beginning with enabling services and expanding across the organisation. In phase one, we identified annual savings between £3.6 million and £5.8 million across areas such as finance, assets and business support.
By the end of phase two, £1.5 million in annual savings had already been delivered and total identified opportunities had grown to between £4 million and £6.2 million.
Key areas of delivery included:
Improving fleet cost recovery and assessing alternative delivery models.
Reducing third-party spend through improved procurement and contract management.
Reshaping mobile and operational support services to release capacity and improve vehicle availability.
Developing plans to consolidate and rationalise estate assets, including exiting major leaseholds.
Establishing a repeatable change approach and building internal delivery capability.
Phase three focused on detailed planning for further savings in estates and fleet, with targeted benefits of £1.2 million to £2.2 million over one to two years.
Outcomes delivered included:
£1.5 million in implemented savings.
Total opportunity identified between £4 million and £6.2 million.
Improvements in fleet availability and asset efficiency.
Savings from procurement, contract management and leasehold exits.
Internal team equipped to lead further phases using a proven delivery model.
What made it successful
Structured approach: clear delivery phases with governance and prioritisation helped maintain focus and pace.
Evidence-led delivery: opportunities were grounded in data, backed by pragmatic action plans.
High engagement: workshops and reviews built consensus and enabled fast progress.
Capability building: internal teams built skills through shadowing and leading live delivery work.
Hands-on support: consultants worked closely with the internal team, focused on practical, lasting change.