POLICE buildings in Essex are no longer fit for purpose, according to the county’s top cop.

Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh believes one of the biggest challenges facing Essex Police is working out of buildings which are an average of 67-years-old.

He said: “We need to move the estate on.”

With money tight the force is looking to work with others within the public sector to find the best value for money.

Mr Kavanagh is coming up to a year in charge of the force and took some time to look back at the year gone and look forward to the one ahead.

He said: “There is so much we can achieve when we work in partnership and I am encouraged at how well connected Essex can be.

“We need to do more to let people know what we are doing.

“There is some excellent things going on and I am really pleased I have connected with officers and staff at the work face and been on patrol to see what they experience.

“The confidence I see in the leadership at Essex Police and the improvements in the way we handle domestic abuse are positives but there is more we can do.

“We need to look at how we interact with people and how they contact us and we need to work more with partners.”