THE county’s police force has officially entered into a “strategic alliance” with Warwickshire Police but has been quick to dispel speculation of a full merger and said it is much more than a cost-cutting exercise.

West Mercia Police Authority has unanimously voted to adopt the collaboration plan, which includes eight key recommendations on how the two forces will work together.

David Shaw, who takes over as chief constable at the end of next month, said he “fundamentally and wholeheartedly” endorsed the proposal and said it was a “momentous” decision for the authority to adopt it.

Each police force will have its own chief constable and deputy chief constable with two assistant chief constables overseeing three areas of alliance – protective services, local policing and enabling services.

Mr Shaw said: “This represents a very significant date in the life of this authority and West Mercia Police.

“It’s my professional opinion this is the right thing to do for the people we serve.

“It is true to say the catalyst for this move was the financial challenges brought about by the comprehensive spending review but it became very quickly much more than that.

“This is very much about providing the very best policing service for the people of West Mercia and Warwickshire.

“There was a sense that this was a cost cutting exercise but that could not be further from the truth.”

Authority member Kate Pready-James questioned what safeguards there were against a “full blown merger”.

Mr Shaw said: “It is an issue the public want to know about.

“It is no coincidence that recommendation ‘A’ is about having two chief constables and deputies. It will be, in every sense, two entities.”

Mr Shaw was keen to stress that there are no details yet of how the alliance will work in practice – the authority was being asked to approve the key principles behind it.

He said: “We know what the structure will be at the highest level but we have deliberately avoided going into detail below that because we are focusing on the fundamental details of the alliance.”

The meeting was also told how ACC Simon Chesterman has been selected to become deputy chief constable when Mr Shaw takes over from Paul West on August 1.

Former head of crime Det Chf Supt Viv Howells has been promoted to assistant chief constable.

How it will work – eight recommendations

• A chief constable and deputy for each force.

• Three directorates – protective services, local policing and enabling services – will be led by two assistant chief constables and a director of enabling services.

• Chief officers and an alliance programme director should be appointed at the earliest possible stage. Chief offices will work with the police authorities to shape their roles.

• Both force’s strategic objectives and performance approaches should be aligned as quickly as possible.

• Operational decisions will be based upon addressing the greatest harms within each policing area. Chief officers to develop a model to address this. Ensure communities continue to receive the policing services they need by developing a local policing model reflecting local differences.

• Forces will have to meet the costs of their own area. Cost of new alliance services will be apportioned at about 69 per cent for West Mercia and 31 per cent for Warwickshire.