RICHARD Flint - joint-Fleet News Fleet Manager of the Year - is leaving Durham Police to become head of transport for Strathclyde Police. Flint, who currently manages 340 vehicles, will be in control of 1,200 vehicles and eight workshops in his Glasgow-based new job, which he starts at the end of the month.

Flint, who has been at Durham four years, became one of only two police fleet managers to reach ICFM diploma level after winning an RAC Scholarship Awards Scheme and is one of only five police fleet managers registered as an ICFM member.

He plans to spend the first six months in the job formulating a strategy for the fleet working with the department's 75 staff, including fleet and operations managers. It will include all areas of the fleet including schedules, insurance, maintenance, vehicle hire and its environmental policy.

Flint said: 'The fleet is four times the size of Durham's, so it's a very big step up and will be a great challenge. Winning the Fleet News Award raised my profile, which helped me get the job, along with my ICFM diploma.

'Hopefully I have turned things around at Durham and I hope to do the same at Strathclyde.

The position at Strathclyde was held by former chairman of the National Association of Fleet Managers, Allan McLellan, who retired from both roles earlier this year.

Awards judges described Flint as a 'top class professional and qualified fleet manager who has defied conventional wisdom by demonstrating clearly that keeping fleet in-house can deliver best value'.

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