12 May 2006
Some police authorities are demanding that controversial merger plans be put on hold as Home Secretary John Reid grapples with his new brief.
A handful of authority chairs took last week's reshuffle as an opportunity to call for a rethink on police amalgamation.
In a letter sent to national newspapers, seven police authority chairs – including those of West Mercia, Sussex and North Wales – reiterated their concerns about the cost and pace of the merger programme.
'We urge John Reid to listen to professionals, parliamentarians and the public and rethink plans to force police authorities across England and Wales to merge,' they wrote.
But their representative body, the Association of Police Authorities, took a more conciliatory line and would not be drawn on whether Reid's promotion presented a chance to re-open the debate.
An APA spokesman would tell Public Finance only: 'We welcome the appointment of Dr John Reid as home secretary and look forward to working constructively with him to deliver an efficient and effective police service.' Following chief police inspector Denis O'Connor's stark verdict last year that the police service was no longer 'fit for purpose', the 43 forces in England and Wales are to be 'rationalised' into a series of larger, strategic forces. The aim is to put them in a better position to meet the 'level 2' challenges of terrorism and organised crime.
But, to date, only two forces have volunteered to merge with their neighbours while the remainder will have it forced upon them.
A Home Office spokeswoman said Reid was still getting to grips with the issues. 'The advice… remains the same – there is a gap at level 2 that needs to be filled. But we haven't had any word from [Reid],' she told PF.
PFmay2006
