DORSET'S PCC has accused his counterpart of rejecting the police merger for political reasons as the plans were voted down.

Martyn Underhill has hit out at Alison Hernandaz, Devon and Cornwall's PCC, after civic leaders from the region's police and crime panel voted against the plan to merge the forces, supporting Ms Hernandez's stance.

It means the proposal is now off the table.

Ms Hernandez said after the panel meeting in Plymouth on Friday, she would not now be putting forward the case for a merger to Government.

Mr Underhill and the two chief constables are in favour of the merger.

She told the panel there was not enough public support, and there would not be enough benefit to communities in Devon and Cornwall to justify the resulting increase in council tax.

She had hoped a merger would free up the money for 480 extra police in the area, but the business case only proposed 100 more – 70 in Devon and Cornwall and 30 in Dorset.

Ms Hernandez said she had been unable to specify where those extra officers would be based.

Following the meeting, Mr Underhill, said: “My view on the merge is already on record and was put before the panel. The business case is proved, and I am frustrated that a politician has stopped a proposal put forward and supported by operational policing leaders.

“Sadly, it seems that the people of Devon and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly will now be paying the same for less.

“Alison Hernandez has said that her decision is not about politics, but I’d repeat an observation that I have already made – I do not believe that she has set out a clear rationale and she remains an outlier amongst the four decision makers.

"Consequently, despite her assertion, I must conclude that she has sought a particular course of action precisely because of political reasons.

"What is now important as we come out of the merger discussions is to reassure the residents of Dorset that we will carry on doing what we do.

"This is now very much business as usual. Dorset Police is a good force performing well, and it will continue to serve its people and its communities 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”

The panel was told council tax for policing was £18 higher in Dorset than Devon and Cornwall.

Under a merger, it would have to equalised – with Devon and Cornwall paying more, and Dorset paying the same or less.

Panel chairman Roger Croad, Devon county councillor for Ivybridge, claimed Ms Hernandez’s arguments against the merger were “flawed”.

He said the council tax changes had not been properly explained to the public and the consultation was “pathetic”.

He said a merger would provide £7m of savings a year, producing opportunity to recruit more police officers.

The panel voted 12 in favour, four against, with one abstention, on a resolution to support Ms Hernandez’s opposition to the merger.