Big consultation exercise in Essex

Over 700,000 questionnaires will land on door mats across Essex over the next few weeks in a massive 'ask the people' exercise, reports icEssex.

Government proposals, announced last November, to merge the Essex force into a large strategic unit met with fierce opposition from local councils, Essex Police, the police authority and 14 of the county's 15 MPs. They all wanted the county to stay as a stand alone force....

Robert Chambers, who chairs Essex Police Authority said: "This is a genuine consultation with communities and we will report back its findings - whatever the outcome. The public pay for policing, and they are entitled to have a say on the future of the service."