The Government has today announced plans that West Mercia Police is to form part of the new West Midlands Police Force under unpopular changes. This is the first merger to be announced and will form the second biggest police force in the country after the Metropolitan in London.
Despite being the third worse funded police force in England and Wales, West Mercia was recently confirmed as the countries' top performing police force.
Recently, the West Mercia Police Authority recommended to the Government that it preferred the plans to further enhance local performance, recommending a 'strategic' West Mercia Police Service to Home Secretary Charles Clarke. Under these plans, a further £2.9 million would have been invested locally to improve services.
But in an all too familiar way for the residents of Wyre Forest, the Government has ignored local opinion and pushed forward the unwanted merger.
Speaking on the changes, Mark Garnier, recently confirmed as Wyre Forest Conservative's candidate for the next general election and a local police campaigner, said: "Yet again, the Government has ignored local wishes. No one wants these changes: not local residents; not the police authority; and not the local police.
"Residents are worried that our excellent local police in Wyre Forest will be re-deployed into crime black spots nearer the urban areas and leave largely rural areas and market towns vulnerable to petty crime. And, quite frankly, I am inclined to agree with them.
"I have no doubt that our local police will try their best and I fully support them. But yet again the Government's promise that local people will have their say is, as usual, just hollow. I condemn these changes."