POLICE chiefs have voted unanimously to continue the fight against plans to merge the force with others in the region.

West Mercia Police Authority will continue to object to the proposals to amalgamate the force with Staffordshire, Warwickshire and West Midlands to form a new Regional Strategic Force by April 2007.

Police authority chairman Paul Deneen said Home Secretary Charles Clarke had now given them until July 2 to submit objections to plans.

The new objection period will run despite Mr Clarke saying on his recent visit to Redditch the issue of the merger would not be reconsidered because three of the four forces had approved it.

Mr Deneen said West Mercia now intended to take full advantage of the objection period.

"The proposed merger is being steamrollered through without the consent of the people of the West Mercia," he said.

"The West Mercia Force is top in performing and has an excellent record of effective and efficient policing."

Mr Deneen said the Home Office had still not produced the answers to questions such as who would pay for set up costs of £57 million, how views of local people would be represented and how a huge force of 20,000 police officers and staff would be held to account.

He added: "One possible outcome of any merger might involve the restructuring of other Criminal Justice partners.

"This again could lead to a period of disruption and distraction which in our view is unnecessary and would give us all cause for concern."