I RESPOND to correspondence, suggesting that amalgamation of West Mercia Constabulary into a large regional police force would give financial efficiencies. The local Consultative Group unanimously objected to such amalgamation as have other bodies.

May I remind your readers that West Mercia, using Home Office criteria, was judged the most efficient force in the country. We have had low funding from central government and have had to increase the police precept on the rates which allowed officer numbers to rise. But do not be deceived into thinking we would pay less with amalgamation.

West Mercia is virtually debt free whilst Warwickshire, West Midlands and Staffordshire have large debts.

If we were to join into a regional force we would then amalgamate our debt and this would mean that instead of being virtually debt free we would inherit an increase of over £11 per head of population as the other three have greater debts than this.

Making a regional force does not abolish problems of boundaries. There would remain need for co-operation and information as occurs at present. There is a need for certain specialism on a national basis such as the National Criminal Intelligence Centre. But forces, while being independent - may develop areas of expertise which are shared, such as West Mercia Firearms Training Unit. This has been used and therefore paid for by other forces.

Make no mistake, public service is quite different to business. The latter becomes larger and has take-overs for different reasons. In public service, the further away from people served, the more expensive the service. Salaries increase with larger units, as does travel etc.

For example, when some courts in Hereford and Worcester were amalgamated some years ago, the cost of running the courts doubled within four years, whereas over the previous four years there had only been an increase by pay and price inflation. Salaries at the top increased dramatically, although of course magistrates remained unpaid. This increase in cost of amalgamation did not take into account the increased cost which affected other services associated with the courts.

I respond as chairman of Bromsgrove Consultative Group, which is independent, only wishing to serve the public giving our objective view after making ourselves acquainted with the facts.

Mrs Mary White

Chairman

Bromsgrove Police and Community Consultative Group