A POLICE authority chairman last night hit out at nice words from a Government minister over controversial plans to merge North-East forces.

Councillor Dave McLuckie said his Cleveland police authority had no choice but to press on with a judicial review through the courts challenging proposals to combine the Cleveland, Durham and Northumbria forces.

Earlier this week police minister Tony McNulty said there were very real issues at stake and said any change could happen at a slower pace.

Despite the comments similar to those already made by Home Secretary John Reid the Home Office has repeatedly refused to say publicly whether the planned timetable for mergers has been scrapped.

Coun McLuckie said: These are nice, soft words but we have not been given any proper notification of the process being halted.

That is why we have to continue with the judicial review. We have to believe that the timetable is still valid.

The Cleveland force has demanded a delay to the merger process set out by former Home Secretary Charles Clarke in March this year.

It claims there has been an "unfair and irrational" consultation process with an "unreasonable and perverse" decision having been reached.

In a written statement to the House of Commons Mr Clarke said police authorities, local authorities and chief constables had until July 2 to object to merger plans.

He said he was proposing that the necessary draft orders to make the changes law would be brought before both the Commons and the House of Lords for approval before the summer recess on July 25.

Meanwhile, Clevelands position appeared to be strengthened last night after it emerged that four local councils, Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley and Solihull had also begun judicial review proceedings over plans to merge Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Mercia and West Midlands forces into one super constabulary.

It is thought that other bodies who are unhappy about police merger proposals in different parts of the country could be prepared to follow suit.

Coun McLuckie said: Clearly this means that Cleveland police authority is not alone in being deeply concerned about these proposals.

I am delighted that councils, police authorities and the forces themselves appear to be preparing to take a stand.