WEST Mercia's bid to retain an independent police force received a boost as most of the 43 police authorities in England and Wales rejected the Home Secretary's deadline last Friday to submit voluntary merger plans.

The West Mercia business plan, outlining the way forward in its present shape, was one of the few to arrive on Charles Clarke's desk.

The force - acclaimed as the best in Britain - has widespread local support for its fight against being swallowed up by a Birmingham-based West Midlands "superforce".

MPs Peter Luff and Sir Michael Spicer have lent their weight to the argument as has Worcestershire County Council and other local authorities including Wychavon District Council.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke had given the police authorities a financial incentive to submit voluntary plans for merger.

But Bob Jones, of the Association of Police Authority Chairmen, said that Mr Clarke was attempting to "divide and rule" by offering extra money to forces that volunteered for merger.

As the offer of cash incentives to help meet the cost of rebranding was announced, Warwickshire police, which would join West Midlands, Staffordshire and West Mercia under the Government's preferred option, announced that it was supporting a merger.

With the exception of the City of London force, it is currently the smallest force in the country.

West Mercia, however, favoured a second option, that it should remain a strategic regional force in its own right.

West Mercia police authority's response to the Home Secretary included an outline business case.

This business case for West Mercia would see:

l £2.9 million investment to employ more specialist police officers and staff to combat serious and organised crime, including terrorism and extremism, and respond to critical and major incidents - without an increase in council tax to pay for it.

l A total of 79 new police posts and 16 new police staff posts in 2006/7.

l Further investment in 2007/8

l The appointment of more than 300 extra Police Community Support Officers, to bring the total number to 388 by April 2008, with all local communities having named local officers and CSOs responsible for policing their area.

Paul Deneen, chairman of the West Mercia police authority, said: "The Home Secretary has given an assurance that he will carefully consider both options submitted by the forces in the West Midlands region, together with Professor Lawrance's report.

"In common with the Association of Police Authorities, we have serious concerns about the speed at which this process has been driven by the Home Secretary and the effectiveness of consultation nationally.

"But we have met the government's timetable in all regards and we have produced a quality business case detailing our preferred option," he added.