He has also written Gloucestershire Constabulary’s first procedures manual for new starters, explaining areas such as how to tax a vehicle and the vehicle order process.

Next up will be touchscreens in the workshop to reduce admin, while any fallout from the fleet restructure will see some vehicles reallocated as pool cars to tackle the grey fleet issue.

Another suggestion under consideration is to run the pool fleet from two locations, managing keys through a tracker system and new pool car module which logs users.

This would also better support the new local area structure.

“We can do remote release on the keys depending on authorisation to drive which makes managing a remote pool fleet easier,” Leach says.

Some employers might baulk at a request to fund ICFM training for their fleet manager, but Leach found it “an easy sell” to persuade Gloucestershire Constabulary to invest.

“I needed to develop as a result of moving from workshop to fleet and ICFM was perfect,” he says. “The return on investment is me being able to deliver the strategies that we need to control the fleet and make savings.

"Being a professional means I can represent the force in a professional manner and implementing best practice management techniques is the payback.

“There is no better way to start a career in fleet. Everything I have learned I can build on and it will help me to face future challenges. I would recommend ICFM to anybody.”

Collaborative venture saves £300,000 across five forces

The funding method of choice for police fleets is outright purchase.

It offers them flexibility and allows them to set their own service parameters.

And through the national role of trade bodies NAPFM and NPIA, the discounts secured under the buying framework are considerable.

Gloucestershire Constabulary keeps its vehicles for four years. Contract miles range from 100,000 to 150,000 depending on the vehicle and its role, but as reliability has risen, resulting in less off-road time, Leach is confident about allowing more miles on the clock.

The bulk of the fleet is BMW, Ford and Mercedes-Benz. However, following a mini-collaboration within the south-west region (Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Devon & Cornwall, Dorset and Avon & Somerset), Leach will begin switching across to Vauxhall and Volvo for categories D, E and F.

Criteria included wholelife cost calculations, parts supply and availability, and environmental impact of the vehicles.

“Collaborative ventures deliver bigger savings,” says Leach. “This is the first one we have done but across the five forces it will save around £300,000.

"Some will benefit more than others – we have to accept that – but the net result is it may help to keep people in a job.”