23 June 2006
Police authorities have welcomed the home secretary's decision to apply the brakes to controversial and unpopular force mergers.
John Reid this week confirmed that he was abandoning his predecessor Charles Clarke's stated intention to push through mergers before Parliament's summer recess.
Addressing MPs on June 19, Reid said: 'I remain of the view that strategic mergers are the right way to improve protective police services. However, I am keen to continue the discussion and dialogue that we have begun with police forces and police authorities on the best way to get to that destination.'
Lancashire and Cumbria, which are mutually enthusiastic about merging, will continue to pursue their plans, he added.
Proposals to reduce the number of forces serving England and Wales in an effort to boost the police's ability to tackle terrorism and organised crime have met with some fierce opposition.
Many authorities were concerned plans were being rushed through without proper consultation or consideration to funding requirements and some, including Cleveland and West Mercia police authorities, were seeking judicial reviews.
West Mercia chair Paul Deneen said he was 'delighted that the home secretary has finally accepted the impracticality of the timetable.
'This is the first public acknowledgement we have had from the home secretary that issues around the cost of merging forces, council tax and local accountability remain unresolved and stand in the way of successfully implementing change in the structure of policing in England and Wales.'
West Mercia recently warned that 2,000 officers could be lost if plans to merge with the neighbouring Warwickshire, Staffordshire and West Midlands forces went ahead.
A report prepared by West Mercia's treasurer Mike Weaver shows that any attempt to equalise the police precept across the region without breaching the 5% capping threshold would lead to a £224m funding gap.
Bob Jones, chair of the Association of Police Authorities, also gave his backing to the decision to delay.
He said: 'We very much welcome this opportunity to continue dialogue on the most effective approach to meeting our shared priorities of improving both protective services and neighbourhood policing.'
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