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Save Northants Police

Archived news from the campaign to Save Northants Police in 2006

Wednesday 12th July 2006

Conservatives across Northamptonshire were today celebrating an overwhelming victory for ‘people power’ as their sustained campaign to Save Northants Police Force forced the Labour Government to scrap the widely unpopular proposals.

Following the launch of the campaign on May 6th, the Save Northants Police website www.savenorthantspolice.com received almost 6,000 signatures as angry residents backed Conservative proposals to save the local force. The campaign has also been followed by the distribution of postcards to thousands of homes in the county and a series of local press adverts that allow local people to register their opposition to the unpopular plans.

The Home Office announced the widely unpopular plans earlier in the year and were immediately opposed by local Conservatives determined to keep policing local. Following Charles Clarke’s sacking in May over his wrongful release of foreign prisoners and a number of scandals at the Home Office, John Reid announced a delay to the mergers on 19th June. Conservatives continued to campaign hard until today’s announcement.

Conservative MEP for Northamptonshire, Chris Heaton-Harris said today: “I’m glad the Northampton Conservative campaign has been successful and we have all worked together to kill this awful and unwanted proposal.”

Roger Helmer MEP added: “I am delighted that the police merger proposals have been scrapped.  But is extraordinary that it takes such an outcry to get this government to see sense.  Congratulations to all those who engaged in the campaign.”

Speaking today, Brian Binley MP said: “Local pressure has achieved a massive victory for local choice and local decision making and I am delighted that we can claim a victory for the people of Northamptonshire.”

MP for Kettering, Philip Hollobone said: “This is a great result! The merger proposals were misconceived from the beginning and the plans would have cost us more and given us fewer police officers here in the county.”

Tim Boswell MP for Daventry said: “This is a great victory for ‘people-power’. Northamptonshire’s residents did not want a mega-police answerable to a distant Home Office and this persistence has put it to rest.”

Peter Bone, MP for Wellingborough said: "The Government tried to force these mergers through on an absurdly fast timetable against widespread opposition. I am pleased they have been scrapped so we can now focus on the real issues."

Cllr Jim Harker, Leader of Northamptonshire County Council said: “The Government's apparent climb down on the proposed costly and unnecessary police mergers is a welcome development and underlines our opposition to the entire plan.

“I now look forward to seeing the government investing the £1 billion it had set aside to implement the mergers into helping us fight crime and anti-social behaviour across Northamptonshire."

Save Northants Police Campaign Co-ordinator and Chairman of Northampton North Conservatives, David Mackintosh welcomed the result and said: “I am very pleased by today’s announcement.  Nearly 6,000 people across the county have said they want to keep our police force local and this is their victory. People were very angry at these proposals which would have cost up to £600 million. I hope that money will now be spent on frontline policing and fighting crime here in Northants.”

Monday 19th June 2006

Conservatives across Northamptonshire were today celebrating as their campaign to Save Northants Police was successful in forcing a Labour government delay in their controversial plans to merge Northants Police with neighbouring counties in favour of an East Midlands super force

The widely unpopular plans were announced by the Home Office earlier in the year and were immediately opposed by local Conservatives determined to keep policing local.

Following the launch of the campaign on May 6th, the Save Northants website www.savenorthantspolice.com received in excess of 5,000 signatures as angry residents backed Conservative proposals to save the local force. The campaign has also been followed by the distribution of postcards to over 9,000 homes in the county and a series of local press adverts that allow local people to register their opposition to the unpopular plans.

Chris Heaton-Harris, Conservative MEP for Northamptonshire said: “This is a partial victory but we will keep up the fight until we can be sure that Northants Police is safe from the hands of Labour home secretaries. We will continue to campaign on this to make sure John Reid knows the depth of feeling here in Northants”

Roger Helmer MEP added: “I am delighted to see that the government has finally started to see sense on this issue.  But I am astonished at the pig-headed way they keep pressing on with it, against the advice of so many police forces, and in the teeth of public opposition".

Brian Binley, MP for Northampton South who tabled an Early Day motion in the House of Commons against the proposals said: “I am glad that local democracy has achieved a partial victory for this campaign. We will continue to fight these proposals until they are shelved once and for all.”

Kettering’s MP, Philip Hollobone said today: “These merger proposals were misconceived from the beginning and the plans will cost us more and given us fewer police officers here in the county. We will continue our fight when these plans return in the autumn.”

Tim Boswell, MP for Daventry hailed the success of ‘people power’ in campaign: “Though not an ideal solution, this is a better outcome than would have happened if we had not fought the case on behalf of the people of Northamptonshire.”

Peter Bone, MP for Wellingborough said: "I welcome this news. The people of Northamptonshire do not want to see their money being wasted on an East Midlands Super Force. They want more police officers out on the beat, catching criminals and deterring crime."

Cllr Jim Harker, Leader of Northamptonshire County Council said today: “The Government has signalled that its initial enthusiasm for the amalgamation of police forces might have been a little hasty.  This is therefore good news as our message is obviously getting through. But John Reid has only talked about postponing the mergers and not shelving them completely so we will keep up our campaign.”

David Mackintosh, Chairman of Northampton North Conservatives and coordinator of the campaign said: “We welcome this move by the Home Secretary as 5,000 people across the county have said they want to keep our police force local. However, we will continue our campaign until the Home Secretary announces he is scrapping these proposals once and for all. We don’t want to see these plans re-appear again in the autumn. Throughout the county people were very angry at these proposals which would have cost up to £600 million. People want to see that money spent on frontline policing and fighting crime here in Northants.”

Saturday 17th June 2006

The Conservative drive to save Northants Police force from controversial Labour Government merger plans has reached over 5,000 signatures as concerned Northampton residents continued to overwhelmingly register their opposition to the proposals.

Northamptonshire Conservatives, who are firm in their belief that policing should be kept local, launched the campaign last month and have been inundated with responses ever since.

People have been able to register their support through the www.savenorthantspolice.com website, by returning a Freepost postcard or responding to a series of adverts in the local press.

The campaign co-ordinator, David Mackintosh, said: "People from all over Northamptonshire have signed this petition against mergers which would cost the same as 22,000 full time Police Officers. All we want to see is that money put into frontline local policing."

He added: "The Conservative MPs in the county are all fully behind this campaign but the Labour MPs should support the people of Northamptonshire and not their party on this hugely important issue. I have written to Sally Keeble but she refuses to back the campaign. She is more concerned with keeping Tony Blair happy."

Saturday 10th June 2006

Letter in The Chronicle & Echo from Chris Heaton-Harris MEP as the petition reaches 2,000 signatures. This letter was also published in The Daventry Express.

Dear Sir,

 Despite overwhelming public opposition, new Home Secretary John Reid has given strong indications that he will press ahead with his predecessor’s controversial and unwanted plans to scrap Northants police in favour of a regional police force.

Following the launch of the Conservative campaign against these mergers on May 6th, the ‘Save Northants Police’ petition has been inundated with well over 2,000 signatures from concerned Northamptonshire residents who wish to express their opposition to the proposals.

As Conservatives, we believe there is a need for more local accountability, not less.  Tony Blair has continued to ignore advice from our police officers about his plans to wreck our local police forces. That's why we're giving local people the chance to have their say with our petition.

You can still register your opposition to the Labour Government’s plans by visiting www.savenorthantspolice.com, by returning one of the postcards that have been distributed to households across Northampton or by writing to your local Conservative office.

Northamptonshire County Council will also hold a full-scale debate on the issue at the next council meeting on June 29th with contributions welcome from all members of the public, and I urge people to make their objections known.

Chris Heaton-Harris

Conservative MEP for Northamptonshire

Wednesday 24th May 2006

Brian Binley MP (Northampton South) today tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons (EDM 2258):

‘That this House refuses to agree with the former Home Secretary that merging the Northamptonshire Police force into a larger regional ‘super-force’ will be of benefit to local policing in Northamptonshire; further, supports Northamptonshire Police Authority in its decision not to volunteer for merger into a new East Midlands strategic Police Authority; further, understands the wider public’s opposition to the unspecified costs of these proposals and notes that over 1000 people have already signed the ‘Save Northants Police’ petition; further, that such a reorganisation can only lead to a dilution of local community policing; further, notes that the former Home Secretary consistently failed to make a coherent case for such a merger and failed to listen to, or ignored the opinions of, local Police forces opposed to this merger; finally, commends Northampton Borough Council in passing a motion that opposes such a merger and expects other Local Authorities to follow suit.’

Monday 22nd May 2006

Northampton Borough Council tonight passed the following motion:

"This Council supports Northamptonshire Police Authority in its decision not to volunteer for merger into a new East Midlands strategic police authority.

In particular, this council is concerned that;-

(1)The estimated merger costs of £101 million plus £35 million per annum to meet the improvements required, calculated by all five police authorities in the East Midlands, will not be adequately funded by Government, leading to reduced front line policing or higher police precept on the Council Tax.

(2)The proposed merger is not projected to improve protective policing services until at least 2014.

(3)All five Chief Constables in the region have expressed the view that the proposed merger as presently designed is unaffordable, very complex and very high risk and therefore likely to damage policing.

(4)A single strategic regional police authority will lead to weaker local democratic accountability for policing.

"This Council opposes the merger of Northamptonshire Police Force into an East Midlands or other regional police service. We believe that effective policing should be responsive to local needs and accountable to the local community."

This Council requests the Chief Executive to respond to the letter from the Home Office to record this Council's objection to the proposed merger, and to write to Northampton's MP's requesting them to oppose the merger in Parliament and urges all councillors and members of the public to take part in the Police Authority's consultation exercise."

Tuesday 16th May 2006

Over 1,000 people have now signed the petition. Just over a week after the launch of the website www.savenorthantspolice.com, Conservatives say the response from concerned members of the public has been remarkable and highlights the growing anger towards the Labour Government’s arbitrary proposals and the desire to keep policing local. The petition has already received in excess of 1,000 signatures – over 500 were in the first week.

Conservatives have also tabled a Borough Council motion against the merger plans and produced and distributed a postcard to allow residents without the use of the internet to make their objections known. The County Council is also holding a public debate on 29th June at County Hall.

Speaking today, Conservative MEP for Northamptonshire Chris Heaton-Harris said: “People want to see more police on the streets and money spent on front-line policing. With these merger plans Labour has got the priorities all wrong. This petition shows the people of Northamptonshire seem to agree.”

David Mackintosh, Chairman of Northampton North Conservatives and co-ordinator of the campaign, added: “This demonstrates the depth of feeling against the proposed mergers. The petition shows an overwhelming number of people want to keep Northamptonshire Police and the support is continuing to grow.”

Monday 15th May 2006

A poll in The Chronicle & Echo over the weekend registered 97% of people voting against the proposed police mergers.

Monday 8th May 2006

The Chronicle & Echo in Northampton reported the launch from Saturday with a photo from outside The Guildhall in Northampton. The picture shows Conservatives from across the county led by Roger Helmer MEP. 

Saturday 6th May 2006

Conservatives across Northamptonshire have today joined forces to attack the Labour Government's plans to scrap Northamptonshire Police force in favour of a regional ‘super-force’ and have launched a campaign against the proposals.

Following the rejection of the merger plans by Northants Police Authority on 5th April 2006, Northamptonshire Conservatives are united in their opposition to plans for an unwanted regional police force and have pledged to go head-to-head with the Government to save the force.

They have launched a petition asking concerned residents to sign up against the merger at www.savenorthantspolice.com and will be collecting names over the coming months to lobby the Home Office.

They believe that regional forces would be even more distant from local communities, and the Association of Police Authorities is estimating that this merger could cost as much as £600 million across Britain - the equivalent of 22,000 full time Police Officers.

Wednesday 3rd May 2006

Letter in The Chronicle & Echo from Cllr. Jim Harker - “Still time to stop the merger of police force”

“I have added my name to a letter in The Times complaining about the cavalier way that Charles Clarke, our Home Secretary, was proposing to finish with our county police force and combine it into a regional force with its headquarters in Nottingham.

I was appalled to read his Home Office spokesman's response. To say that "Councillors are not the experts and they are not the people to address these big issues" is patronising in the extreme and symbolic, I suppose, of this Government getting farther and farther away from the people and farther from us in local government, who represent the people at ground roots level.

Charles Clarke's proposals for the East Midlands and for our county of Northamptonshire are unwanted and unadmired by the vast majority of people who live here.

They will risk losing local policing just when people want to see more localism in policing and more officers actually on their local streets.

They will take away scarce funding, with regionalisation costing around £100 million pounds in this region, which is already desperately underfunded.

They will take away local accountability moving from our local county police authority to having one, or possibly two, members travel up to a Nottingham-based regional authority.

And finally, they have not had genuine consultation, probably because the Home Secretary well knows what the outcome of that would be.

I am sure that there are less damaging, more cost-effective ways of dealing with the issues of terrorism and organised crime without destroying our county police forces, or is this just an excuse for more back door regional government?

People have until August 11 to object to these proposals and, hopefully, some of Charles Clarke's parliamentary Labour colleagues will be among the objectors.

We, at the county council, intend to have a full-scale debate on the issue at the next council meeting on June 29 and I would be very pleased if any members of the public in Northamptonshire would like to come along. If you would like to contribute to the debate, it is open for anyone to address the meeting for up to three minutes, by prior arrangement, and I would welcome this.

There is still time to stop this massive waste of resources and diminution of local involvement and influence, but it needs everyone to object strongly now.”

Cllr. Jim Harker, Leader of Northamptonshire County Council