HAMPSHIRE’S fire and police services are a step closer to sharing headquarters after the Government rubberstamped a multi-million-pound grant for the plans.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service has been successful in its bid to fund the move, which will see them share their current Eastleigh base with Hampshire Consta-bulary.

Earlier this year The Gazette reported that the police had been successful in a bid for £1m to make the move – the first of its kind in the country – happen.

Now, the move, which will see the police force’s strategic headquarters transfer to Leigh Road next autumn, is a step closer to reality after the Government approved £2.6m of funding for the fire service.

The funding will also go towards continuing the collaboration between the two forces, which has seen police relocate from Shirley station to the fire station in Redbridge.

While the police’s strategic headquarters will move, the constabulary’s operational headquarters will remain in Mottisfont Court, Winch-ester, which was bought from Hampshire County Council for £1.5m in 2012.

Overheads The move is expected to save both forces about £600,000 a year by allowing the forces to share overheads.

The police will pay a service charge to the fire service for using the building, but that will be less than the force’s current overheads.

No jobs are expected to be lost through the move.

The Leigh Road complex is now set to be refurbished to meet the needs of the police force ahead of officers moving in next year.

The fire service has also been successful in a bid for £1.4m of Government cash to continue the use of smaller vehicles to respond to more minor incidents.

Hampshire Fire Authority chairman Cllr Royston Smith said: “This is very helpful in bringing about the efficiency savings between the fire and police more quickly, as otherwise it would take longer.

“But this is also a clear demonstration from Government that Hampshire is at the forefront of innovation and how they think we are doing to drive down inefficiencies and trying to work collaboratively together.”

Police and Crime Commis-sioner Simon Hayes added: “It is only by investing in joint-working initiatives such as this that I will be able to protect people and places locally while ensuring that the police’s estate is cost-effective and fit for purpose.”

Hampshire Constabulary’s Chief Constable, Andy Marsh, said the force has been prepared to think different in order to maintain a high level of service while making the savings need.

He added: “We are prioritising the quality of our service to the public and frontline policing over expensive bricks and mortar.”