2Duties in relation to collaboration agreementsE+W
(1)A relevant emergency service in England (“the relevant service”) must keep under consideration whether entering into a collaboration agreement with one or more other relevant emergency services in England could be in the interests of the efficiency or effectiveness of that service and those other services.
(2)If the relevant service considers that entering into a collaboration agreement with one or more other relevant emergency services in England could be in the interests of the efficiency or effectiveness of that service and those other services (“the proposed collaboration”), the relevant service must notify those other services of the proposed collaboration.
(3)The relevant service and the other services (“the proposed parties”) must consider whether the proposed collaboration would be in the interests of the efficiency or effectiveness of the proposed parties.
(4)Subsection (5) applies if—
(a)a proposed party is of the view that the proposed collaboration would be in the interests of its efficiency or effectiveness (if it were to give effect to the proposed collaboration, or to give effect to it so far as it relates to that party), and
(b)at least one other proposed party is of the view that the proposed collaboration would be in the interests of its efficiency or effectiveness (if it were to give effect to the proposed collaboration, or to give effect to it so far as it relates to that party).
(5)Each proposed party which is of that view must give effect to the proposed collaboration, or give effect to it so far as it relates to that party, by entering into a collaboration agreement (if the party has power to do so).
(6)In the application of this section to a local policing body, references to the efficiency or effectiveness of that body include the efficiency or effectiveness of the police force it is responsible for maintaining.
(7)This section is subject to section 3 (collaboration agreements: specific restrictions).