3After section 5 insert—
“5ACombination agreements: further provision
(1)A combination agreement for a combined area may be made only if every responsible authority in relation to that area is a party to the agreement.
(2)The relevant local policing body for a combined area may enter into a combination agreement for that area only if it considers that it would be in the interests of one or more of the following to do so—
(a)reducing crime and disorder;
(b)reducing re-offending;
(c)combating the misuse of drugs, alcohol and other substances.
(3)Subsections (4) to (6) apply if a combined area in relation to a combination agreement includes (wholly or party) the area of more than one police area.
(4)The combination agreement must include arrangements for securing effective and efficient co-operation—
(a)between each of the relevant local policing bodies in relation to the combined area, and
(b)between the responsible authorities for the area and those relevant local policing bodies.
(5)The Secretary of State must be a party to the agreement (if not already a party by virtue of being a relevant local policing body in relation to the combined area).
(6)The Secretary of State may enter into the agreement only if the Secretary of State—
(a)considers that it would be in the interests of one or more of the matters mentioned in subsection (2), and
(b)is satisfied that the arrangements mentioned in subsection (4) are adequate for the purposes of securing effective and efficient co-operation in the carrying out of functions under section 6.
(7)A combination agreement—
(a)must be in writing, and
(b)may be varied by a further combination agreement.
(8)A combination agreement may be terminated by agreement in writing between the parties to it; and subsection (2), and (as the case may be) (6)(a), applies to an agreement under this subsection.
(9)In this section “combination agreement”, “combined area” and “relevant local policing body” have the same meanings as in section 5.”.