A POLICE merger would have a massive impact on finances and would result in more than 2,000 officers losing their jobs.

That was the warning from the chairman of West Mercia Police Authority, Paul Deneen, who revealed there would be a £220m shortfall in funding for a new West Midlands regional force in its first five years.

Speaking at what could be the authority's last annual meeting, Mr Deneen said: "Unless the Government decides to invest very heavily in covering this shortfall, 2,050 police officer posts could be lost in the first five years of the new force's existence.

"I fear that policing performance will suffer if the workforce is cut by the equivalent of 10 per cent over this time."

He is urging anyone withviews about the proposed merger to contact their local MP before Sunday, July 2, when the Home Office's objection period ends.

Mr Deneen's comments follow the publication of a report by West Mercia Police Authority's treasurer, Mike Weaver. He said: "Our treasurer's report shows that current Home Office proposals to ensure every council taxpayer in the region pays the same for policing services will lead to a budget shortfall of £224.1m over five years.

"Using the Government's own rules to limit council tax increases year on year, it will be impossible to smooth out the current inequalities in council tax payments in Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Mercia and West Midlands within five years."

Mr Deneen added: "West Mercia Constabulary is a top performing force and one of the reasons for that is the significant additional investment in police officer numbers made a few years ago. We recruited an extra 300 police officers and they are now fully trained and making a daily difference to the quality of people's lives. Even if the loss of 2,050 police officer posts is spread on a pro-rata basis across the four forces the Home Office wants to merge, West Mercia could lose the equivalent of 410 posts, more than the amount we recruited only a few years ago."