PLANS by Hertfordshire Constabulary to merge with a neighbouring police force were dealt a blow on Friday when its chief constable was ordered to look again at other options.

Frank Whiteley, chief constable of Hertfordshire Constabulary, argues that his force needs to merge with Bedfordshire Police in order to plug a spiralling budget gap (estimated at £25.5million over the next five years) and protect public services.

A final decision on the merger remains a long way off, but members of the Hertfordshire Police Authority – responsible for funding and managing the county’s police force – could have made a big statement of intent at a County Hall meeting this morning by supporting the chief constable’s conclusions.

Instead, they voted to reject the idea of a full and voluntary merger and instead supported an extended collaboration programme “requiring significant cuts.”

Members did, however, agree a motion that full independence was now not a viable financial option.

Chief Constable Whiteley, speaking after presenting his Options for Change business case to members, told them that urgent action was required to alleviate the force’s financial problems, even suggesting that the current neighbourhood policing model – where teams of officers and PCSOs collaborate closely with residents – could be under threat in future years unless action is taken.

He told members: “This is about closing a very real financial gap that this authority is facing. We’ve got to live in the real world. We can do a lot of things in the future but you are facing a very rapidly growing financial gap and it’s your problem how you are going to deal with it.” He continued: “you can’t wish it away.”

Several authority members, however, argued the need for caution, pointing out that a merged police force mightn’t necessarily prove to be the best outcome for the people of Hertfordshire.

Deputy county council leader David Lloyd said: “I am not convinced that policing in Hertfordshire will be improved by this.” He explained that, once the Hertfordshire Police Authority had been diluted by the changes, members’ primary focus would not be solely on the people of Hertfordshire – their friends, neighbours, families and constituents – but also on the people of a neighbouring county. “That,” he added, “would be very difficult for residents in Hertfordshire to accept.”

Authority member Nigel Brook, meanwhile, warned that, when dealing with such a major project “anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” He added: “once you have merged you can’t get out of it, and if anything goes wrong you are in the shtuck.”

Sally Newton added: “I would not say that making a decision purely on a financial basis is the best thing for the people of Hertfordshire or the force we serve.”

Authority member Sarah Coffey, however, was more forthcoming in her support. She warned: “I am worried that if we postpone a decision to merge until 2011 we will have a bankrupt force.”

Chief Constable Whiteley said he would review the recommendations made by the authority before the matter is formally discussed again – probably in November.

Any decision to formally merge the forces – which is still possible – would have to be ratified by both police authorities and the government before the public would be asked to comment in a public consultation.