Objection lodged to police merger

Proposed mergers will not begin until the autumn

A formal objection to the government's proposal to merge Sussex and Surrey police forces is to be lodged by Sussex Police Authority.

Home Secretary John Reid announced earlier this month that mergers between several forces in England and Wales would be delayed until the autumn.

Surrey Police Authority has already rejected the merger on funding grounds and has asked people to object.

It is collating responses to be sent to the Home Office before the end of July.

The official objection period ends on 11 August.

'Federal' approach

In Sussex, local authorities and other organisations were invited to a meeting on Wednesday in Horsham where they were also asked to submit formal objections to the Home Office.

Sussex Police is in favour of a "federal" approach which would retain county identities and accountability but allow the forces to work together on major crime, counter-terrorism and policing roads.

Chairman of the police authority Peter Jones and Chief Constable Joe Edwards met Police Minister Tony McNulty to argue their case on Tuesday.

"I think the minister showed some willingness to consider our proposition," Mr Jones told the meeting.

"We do not believe in compulsory mergers but we are up for a voluntary federation between willing partners."

Under-funded

The conference was told that the latest estimates put the cost of the merger between Surrey and Sussex at £43m and the savings at £6.2m a year.

The charge to Sussex council tax payers for policing would have to rise by 18% to bring it into line with Surrey.

Surrey Police argues it has been under-funded for several years because the government classes it as a rural area without taking account of its close proximity to London.

The leader of Surrey County Council, Nick Skellet, has already written to the government asking for plans to merge the forces to be scrapped.