News Release

16th July 2006

STAFFORDSHIRE POLICE MERGER PROPOSAL

Following Government announcements which state that their plans for enforced police mergers are "dead in the water", Michael Fabricant is now suggesting a voluntary re-alignment of police forces in the midlands.

"I have always opposed the absorption of Staffordshire Police into the West Midlands" says Michael. "I am relieved that the merger will not now proceed and I do not share the disappointment of some senior Staffordshire Police officers. A merger with the West Midlands force would have inevitably lead to already scarce police resources being drawn from rural areas into trouble spots of the greater Birmingham conurbation.

"However, there is nothing to stop the Staffordshire Police Service from cooperating with the West Midlands and other police forces in anti terrorist operations and civil disaster planning.

"But if the Staffordshire Police still believe that the Service could be improved through economies of scale, I would actively encourage them to enter into voluntary merger discussions with the Shropshire and/or the Warwickshire or other rural police services. Any such merger would be between equal partners, economies of scale could be achieved, and police resources would not be sucked into large trouble spots. The Police and Magistrates Courts Act already permits such voluntary mergers and has been in place for over 10 years.