To invite Cabinet to respond to the Secretary of State for Home Affairs reaffirming the Council’s previous support for retaining a West Mercia Police Force and registering the Council’s objection to the proposed merger of the Staffordshire, West Midlands and Warwickshire forces into a single police force for the whole of the West Midlands area.

THAT Cabinet responds to the West Mercia Police Authority expressing (a) its support for the establishment of a West Mercia Strategic Police Service on the grounds set out in the report and (b) concerns at the amount of time allowed for the consultation, the speed of which it considers not to be in the best interests of the public.

It is important that the Council should address the future policing of the area given the importance of effective policing to the local community.

The alternative options are set out in the Appendix containing the Chief Constable’s presentation.