Author and Job Role: Kelvin Menon – OPCC CFO
Protective Marking: Official
Executive Summary:
The Home Office national ESMCP/ESN programme will replace the legacy Airwave TETRA network with the Emergency Services Network (ESN), leveraging BT/EE’s commercial LTE infrastructure.
National policy requires migration ahead of the planned withdrawal of the Airwave service by the end of 2029. Regional policing programme teams must therefore ensure timely operational readiness for their constituent forces, including coverage assurance, device rollout planning, training and business change.
Given the complexity of the programme and ongoing national delivery risks, regions must retain sufficient local capability to manage transition risks, coordinate stakeholders and ensure operational continuity.
This requirement has been assessed on a regional basis between Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire and Thames Valley and the following posts were deemed to represent the minimum requirement to maintain current service and implement the new system.
- Regional Lead/Change Programme Manager (1 FTE)
- Bilateral Change Project Managers (2 FTE)
- Bilateral IT Leads/ICT Project Managers (2 FTE)
- ESN Tactical Leads/Decision Makers (2 FTE)
- Regional Coverage Assurance Lead (1 FTE)
- Administrative Support (1 FTE)
Funding will also be required for miscellaneous SME overtime/backfill and specialist outside resources as required.
Finances
Costs are being shared between TVP, Hampshire, Surrey and Sussex and the Surrey share, broken down by year, is as follows:
| 2026/27 | 2027/28 | 2028/29 | 2029/30 | Total | |
| Revenue Required | 172,754 | 217,309 | 217,309 | 217,309 | £824,681 |
This will be funded from a combination of reserves and from the normal force budget. As this is Government mandated program the Force has no option other than to participate and bear the cost
Recommendation
It is recommended that the PCC approves a total budget of £824,681 for ESMCP as set out in the table above
Police and Crime Commissioner Approval
I approve the recommendation(s):
Signature: PCC Lisa Townsend (wet signed copy held in Office)
Date: 8th June 2026
All decisions must be added to the decision register.
Areas of consideration
Consultation
This is a mandated program
Financial implications
These are set out int the paper
Legal
The costs relate to staffing only
Risks
There is a risk that if the expenditure is not approved the the Force will not be able to maintain continuity of its communications systems during the transfer and implementation to the new system
Equality and diversity
N/A
Risks to human rights
N/A