Against advice from both Surrey and Sussex Police Authorities and repeated warnings from Home Office officials Charles Clarke, Labour Home Secretary announced on Monday that Surrey and Sussex Police Forces should merge. Also on Monday the Daily Telegraph revealed the details of internal advice given to Home Office Ministers that mergers, such as this one, would be too expensive and too disruptive. Ministers were advised to focus on improving and extending cooperation between forces rather than embarking on a wholesale re-organisation.There are already close and effective working relationships between Surrey and it’s neighbouring Police forces including Sussex. The most important cooperative partnership is between Surrey and the Metropolitan Police which if anything will be disrupted by this proposed merger. The argument put by Ministers is that a bigger force is better able to tackle terrorism and major crime as well as anticipated financial savings. The close working relationships already in existence plus the existence of country wide units is already proving very successful. Reorganisation at this key time of threat is likely to hinder rather than progress anti-terrorism action.The savings argument has been rebutted by the Home Office internal paper and by past experience of many previous local government merges. Currently both Surrey and Sussex Police Forces claim - with much justification - to be under funded. There is currently an marked difference in the central funding of the two police forces. Proportionally Surrey gets a substantially lower grant than Sussex thus unless a funding balance is achieved by further grant the Council Tax payers of Sussex will be subsidising those of Surrey. It is estimated that the cost of merger is likely to be £27 million - a sum that would be better spent in Surrey and Sussex on real policing. Surrey MPs have asked to see the Hazel Blears, the minister responsible for policing, to discuss funding. Amazingly this request has been refused.The pattern of policing of the two forces is dramatically different as well. After a re-organisation in Surrey there is now have a community based force which has excellent local contact which has proved to be very successful in combating crime as well as proving more cost effective. Sussex has a broader area based system without the same degree of local contact. The fears of Surrey MPs is that a combined Surrey/Sussex force will mean that Surrey local police will be more thinly spread as there are demands for police manpower to Sussex hot spots such as Brighton and Hastings.Charles Clarke has given Surrey and Sussex Police Authorities until 7th April to respond to his decision before he will undoubtedly proceed. Calls for wider consultation including a referendum have been rejected out of hand by Charles Clarke.Jeremy Hunt commented: ""Why on earth are we proceeding with a huge organisational distraction when the police should be focusing on fighting crime? Merging with Sussex will only make Surrey Police less connected with the local communities they serve. This is a slap in the face for a police force that has made huge strides in improving community policing. Once again the government has succumbed to its centralising instincts, and I fear the consequences will be more bureaucracy and less local policing.""