Police merger looks to have been shelved

It appears that the Prime Minister has sounded the death knell for the Government's plans to force through police mergers including Cheshire Police having to join forces with Merseyside. While it might be a slight exaggeration to claim that Audlem Online's current Vote Poll on the subject has caused the U-turn, the 7 to 1 proportion of votes against the merger is one indication of the public's opposition to these mergers. Audlem Online will be changing the Vote Poll shortly so, if you haven't done so, vote now as the results will still be forwarded to Cheshire Police – and could be used in evidence etc, etc if the Home Office re-introduces the plans.

It appears the mergers, the brain child of the previous Home Secretary Charles Clarke, have foundered because the only merger the police forces actually wanted, between Lancashire and Cumbria's forces, has fallen through because of the costs involved. As the other mergers, which involved the current 43 forces being reduced to 17, have been opposed, the new Home Secretary John Reid appears to have accepted it's too big an issue at present.

If you have any suggestions for a new Vote Poll, do contact the webteam using the 'Suggest New Vote Poll' box below the Vote Now box. Just click on it once. You can also check on current voting by clicking on 'View Results'. We can't promise the next Vote Poll will achieve such a change in Government policy, but you never know!

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