Police
merger fears
Gazette and Herald
Letters Page
www.wiltshiregazetteandherald.co.uk
CHARLES Clarke, in a breathtaking display of arrogance and
contempt for public opinion, has vowed to press ahead with
merging police forces, including Wiltshire.
The Home Secretary has informed police chiefs that he has
the power to force through the mergers whether or not they
or the public agree. He has even attempted to entice police
forces into complying by offering extra cash if they submitted
merger proposals by the deadline. Not one single force made
the deadline and so far few have agreed to a merger.
This Government is obsessed with regionalisation, thereby
destroying democratic local government, moving power and decision-making
further away from the people.* First spatial planning, then
the regional fire and ambulance service. Now police. Probation
service too I am told.
Not just any regions will do, though. They have to fit in
with the regional map of Britain as decided by the EU, consisting
of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and nine regions of England.
Divide and rule. Each of the nine English regions has a Regional
Assembly (RA) which formulates policy and does John Prescott's
bidding. Those who sit on the RA council are appointees of
the local authorities in that region. And we are not allowed
a democratic vote on whether we want regional assemblies. |
