MP backs Police and Crime Commissioner over merger fears

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has backed Cumbria's Police and Crime Commissioner's opposition to a potential merger with another force.

There are fears that substantial cuts to police budgets over the next few years could lead to Cumbria Police having to potentially merge with either Lancashire, Durham or North Yorkshire police.

Tim believes that such a move would lead to the county losing officers who would be sent to tackle crime in more urban areas.

Tim has written to the Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, asking him for a change to the funding formula to help out rural areas and to guarantee that Cumbria will not be forced to merge with another force.

Plans to merge Cumbria's police force were last proposed by the Government twelve years ago but were eventually scrapped following a community campaign led by Tim.

Tim said: "I'm pleased to see that Cumbria' Police and Crime Commissioner has voiced his objections to any merger and I am happy to work with him to lobby Government to prevent this from happening.

"Merging with another force will almost certainly lead to Cumbria losing police officers to more urban areas.

"We should all demand better than an ill-thought plan which would lead to local people's safety becoming nothing more than an afterthought."