POLICE chiefs have blasted the government for ignoring detailed suggestions for the future structure of policing in Hampshire. Chief Constable Paul Kernaghan and Hampshire Police Authority chairman Mike Attenborough-Cox put forward three options to the Home Office in response to an official report recommending sweeping changes and mergers among the existing 43 forces in England and Wales. The pair said they would prefer to see Hampshire remain independent with extra cash for protective services, but they would also be prepared to merge with neighbouring Dorset or both Dorset and Wiltshire constabularies.The suggestions were put forward after consultation with partner agencies. The Home Office has now looked at the suggestions and has categorically told Hampshire that merging with Dorset and Wiltshire is currently not an option because they fall into the south west boundary whereas Hampshire is in the south east. Mr Attenborough-Cox said: "We are extremely disappointed with the response from the Home Office, particularly as it has ignored additional information it requested in support of Hampshire standing alone as a strategic force. "In addition, the Home Office has disregarded the views of our partner agencies and the results of a very detailed and professional exercise that showed Hampshire standing alone as a strategic force as the best option for policing, followed by a merger with Wiltshire and Dorset. "If the Home Office is not going to take our submission seriously then it may as well have given us the answer they wanted and asked us to find the question." Mr Kernaghan said: "I am surprised and disappointed that the Home Office stance appears to have changed over the last fortnight. We were told that regional boundaries were not an absolute given and that logical arguments could be advanced in favour of local mergers which crossed over administrative boundaries. However, we now learn that the government's stance is absolute. "To add insult to injury, we have been reminded that the views of partner agencies and other stakeholders are relevant to this debate. We consulted with exactly those groups and there was overwhelming support for Hampshire to stand alone as a strategic force, as well as merger options involving Dorset and Wiltshire. "The constabulary and police authority still believe that Hampshire as a stand alone strategic force is the best option for providing policing for the residents of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. "It appears that some Home Office preferred options allow forces which are smaller than Hampshire, in terms of both police officer numbers and budgets, to remain as stand alone forces. Therefore, we are hopeful that we can make a strong case for Hampshire to do likewise, particularly given our record of performance."
