Cleveland police to meet minister

Cleveland Police Authority are to meet Tony McNulty today to discuss merger plans, reports the BBC. Their chairman said

The evidence for the mergers-only case was always ... flimsy but it is now it is virtually non-existent. We want concrete answers rather than warm words.

Under the proposals the Northumbria, Durham and Cleveland forces would become one "super-force." Durham and Northumbria police support the plan, but Cleveland wants a smaller merger with neighbouring Durham only and has lodged an application for a judicial review.

Does anyone know what the North East's (presumably Labour) MPs think, and what public consultation there has been?