Police force break-up delayed by Home Office

West Mercia’s Police and Crime Commissioner, John Campion, who was behind the plan to break up the alliance with his Chief Constable Anthony Bangham, has hit out over the situation, saying he will not accept his force being held to ransom.

The decision to break up the agreement between West Mercia and Warwickshire police has led to acrimony between the two forces – and now ministers are set to intervene.

Mr Campion has said the alliance is no longer beneficial and his force effectively subsidises its neighbour by providing 60 per cent of the resources – a claim strongly refuted by Warwickshire.

Under the agreement the forces have shared certain functions such as firearms, forensics and computer services since 2012.

Last month Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Service said it was concerned there was no certainty over how Warwickshire would provide the services covered by the alliance after the split.

Speaking on Friday Mr Campion had he expected a legal challenge, and intervention from the Home Office to delay the break-up, which was supposed to take place on Tuesday.

Warwickshire Police have confirmed they have asked the Home Secretary to delay the break-up.

The Home Office confirmed that they have stepped in, ordering that the divorce us delayed for three months while the details of the termination are agreed.

In a joint statement with West Mercia’s chief Constable Anthony Bangham, Mr Campion said that offers to provide services after the break-up had not resulted in an agreement with Warwickshire.

He said: “As things stand, negotiations between all parties have ended, without agreement. We now anticipate intervention from the Home Office in the coming days to allow further time for Warwickshire to transition to a stand-alone model.

“We also understand that a high court injunction is being applied for by Warwickshire to try to prevent the termination.

“While we have been clear throughout that we would take an open, reasoned, pragmatic approach to negotiations, we have been unwilling to accept the wrong deal for our communities. We will not allow West Mercia to be held to ransom.”

'Saddened'

Warwickshire’s chief constable Martin Jelley and police and crime commissioner Philip Seccombe have confirmed they have requested that the Home Office steps in to delay the split.

In a statement they said: “We are saddened that it should have ever been necessary to make this request to the Home Secretary.

“Warwickshire’s position from the outset has been that it would be unreasonable and unacceptable for either force to withdraw from joint services in a situation where the other was not ready to transition to new arrangements or whereby separation was not possible in a safe and orderly way.”

But in a statement Mr Campion and chief constable Bangham have said their force is effectively subsidising its neighbour.

They have also said the alliance has even led to a situation where one chief constable has overridden a decision taken by the other.

Their statement said: “Having overcome the immediate financial challenges of a few years ago, we have found ourselves stuck in a collaboration where Warwickshire contributes just 31 per cent of resources to the alliance, but has a 50:50 say on governance, giving them a disproportionate influence on West Mercia’s policing decisions.

“That ‘50:50’ governance structure has created situations where one chief constable has been able to countermand the operational needs of another and actively prevent them from acting in the best interests of their communities.

“It has created situations where West Mercia has been blocked from achieving major benefits in efficiencies to reinvest in frontline services. It has left West Mercia picking up the significant costs associated with hosting 80 per cent of all alliance functions. It has left West Mercia locked into a 69:31 cost-sharing model, which does not accurately reflect the higher level of services that Warwickshire actually consumes.

"The total cost to the public in West Mercia each year is significant, both in terms of finance and operational policing, and yet West Mercia has been effectively powerless to address any of these issues, without the agreement of Warwickshire. This is why it was ultimately necessary to end the alliance.”

'Orderly'

Chief Constable Jelley and commissioner Seccombe have also questioned the evidence for the split, and said that they believed negotiations to provide the services after it takes place had seen progress.

They said: “Throughout the last 12 months of negotiations we have remained focused on achieving an orderly separation which protects the interests of our communities and our workforce. We have made multiple offers to this effect, which have been refused on each occasion by West Mercia.

“Nevertheless, we had believed that positive progress had been made in August in agreeing arrangements for the continuation of some shared services while work was undertaken to separate these in a smooth manner. Regrettably, and despite exhaustive negotiations over recent weeks, detailed proposals for new collaboration agreements to cover the services which could not be transitioned by October 9 were taken off the table by West Mercia.

“It is difficult to understand West Mercia’s stated position that the decision to terminate the alliance is supported by detailed analysis and strong evidence.

“We have asked for this to be provided to us throughout the negotiation process, but have received no such detail. It is also significant that Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services was similarly unable to uncover any detailed business case having been produced by West Mercia prior to their decision to terminate what has been a successful seven-year alliance.

“Similarly, no evidence has been provided to substantiate the claim that West Mercia Police is subsidising Warwickshire Police and we would strongly refute such a suggestion.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The government has been clear in its unwavering support for the police and their need to protect the public. That is why 6,000 additional officers are to be recruited by the end of the next financial year.

“We are working with both forces and sector leads closely to support them and we are committed to ensuring vital services are maintained.”