Crime Commissioner to move office

As part of ongoing efficiency savings, Devon and Cornwall's Police and Crime Commissioner is moving office.

Next year Mr Hogg and his team will leave privately rented offices in Exeter, inherited from the former Police Authority, and move into vacant and unused space at Middlemoor Police HQ.  The new space is also slightly smaller than the current premises.

The lease on the OPCC's base at Pynes Hill runs out in 2016, and Mr Hogg is taking that opportunity to further reduce OPCC running costs. They will now become lower than the Police Authority.

There will be an initial cost to update and equip the vacant space at Middlemoor, but with annual rental savings of up to £100,000, the longer term financial benefits are significant.  With policing budgets under increasing pressure, this move makes undeniable financial sense.  Over the next 10 years it will save approximately £500,000 - money that Mr Hogg can make available to the Chief Constable to help protect front line policing.

"The police force is being asked to make big savings, and the Police and Crime Commissioner's office is determined to play a part in that too." said OPCC Chief Executive Andrew White.

"It make no sense whatsoever to keep paying out substantial rent for a self contained commercial office when vacant space is available within Middlemoor. We would be failing the public if we continued this arrangement and took resources away from the police."