June 29, 2006

More opposition to mergers

Police authority chiefs have vowed to kill off plans to merge the Merseyside and Cheshire forces once and for all, reports the Liverpool Daily Post. And Merseyside Police Authority also called on the Government to release £125m it had set aside to finance mergers so that "public protection" measures such as anti-terrorism work could be enhanced.

More than 1,400 people have texted Derbyshire police with their opinion on whether the five East Midland forces should merge, reports the Ilkeston Advertiser. 95.04% of votes were against the merger and 4.2% in favour.

In Lincolnshire only some 20 people attended a consultation meeting about plans to merge Lincolnshire with forces covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire, reports The Boston Standard:
During the meeting Lincolnshire's chief constable Tony Lake said: "The option of being grouped with some of these forces does not do a lot for me."

He said he would prefer a merger involving South Humberside instead.

Lincolnshire Police Authority is concerned about the funding of a new super force, as well as its accountability. Police precept costs to taxpayers in the county could rise as a result of a merger – and Lincolnshire may only get four representatives on a finalised East Midlands Police Authority.