DEFIANT members of Cheshire Police Authority have unanimously voted to oppose a merger with Merseyside Police.

The move follows an identical decision by Merseyside Police Authority last week but Home Secretary Charles Clarke says he will impose the amalgamation whether it is wanted or not.

Mr Clarke wants to restructure the police service in England and Wales, arguing some forces are too small to tackle serious criminality and terrorism.

Chief Constable Peter Fahy told authority members yesterday that a merger would lead to better intelligence and financial savings, but he feared resources would flow in the Merseyside direction.

He said: 'Our concern is the effect on neighbourhood policing and that we would end up having to send officers to Merseyside because of the higher number of incidents there.'

Mr Fahy said the process had happened 'very quickly' and the Home Office had failed to offer reassurances on a range of issues.

'This is almost one of the most important decisions the Cheshire Police Authority has ever made in effectively abolishing itself. It has very far reaching consequences and the Home Secretary is determined it will happen any way,' he said.

Chairman Peter Nurse (Lab, Crewe North) said the authority accepted the need for change to tackle serious crime but as a responsible body it lacked sufficient information to know whether to agree or disagree with the proposed merger.

Cllr Nurse had argued for the retention of the force within a North West federation allowing shared resources, an option ruled out by the Government.

He was particularly concerned Cheshire Council Tax payers would end up paying more for a worse service.