Integration between blue light services in Hertfordshire has been mooted.

Hertfordshire police and crime commissioner David Lloyd proposed the move when he addressed a national conference on Wednesday.

Addressing representatives from the emergency services, he spoke about how the police and fire services could pool resources to help meet the financial challenges they face.

He argued greater cooperation and savings between the emergency services provides an opportunity for genuine reform, rather than continually chipping away at individual service’s budgets to meet financial challenges.

Commissioner Lloyd said: “When it comes to the outcomes we have in mind, I am pretty confident these are something we can all get behind – better service to residents, shorter response times, joined-up and coherent services, reduced cost to the public purse.”

Commissioner Lloyd discussed how public authorities in Hertfordshire are already working together, but acknowledged more could be done, looking at “shared approaches to issues like estates, procurement and training”.

“There are also opportunities to have a radical look at how we do business, as well as how we hit our financial targets,” he said.

“There is much more to do, but again Hertfordshire is ahead of the game here with initiatives like the joint County Community Safety Unit, where the constabulary and council work together on safeguarding, domestic abuse, drug and alcohol services, and home safety.”

The commissioner’s speech follows his appointment as chairman of a national blue light integration working group, which is looking at ways the emergency services can work more closely.

Hertfordshire Constabulary has a number of services and units collaborated with Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire police forces, including the Major Crime Unit, armed policing and scientific services.