PLANS to force through a merger of Welsh police forces is not democratic, according to a Wrexham councillor.

Abenbury community councillor Ray Squire says Prime Minister Tony Blair and Home Secretary Charles Clarke are 'despots' who are being anti-democratic by pushing the reform through.

He was speaking at an emergency meeting of the Wrexham Police and Community Consultative Group (PCCG) which was called to discuss a plan of action to stop North Wales Police being forced into a merger with South Wales, Dyfydd-Powys and Gwent.

North Wales Police Authority opposes the move, believing a merger would mean less money for North Wales, less community policing and less support for major incidents.

But now the Police Authority has voted against a merger there will be a four-month objection period for parties to make their views clear.

'They are telling us because North Wales Police Authority voted against the change it will be forced through,' added Cllr Squire.

The emergency meeting was attended by community councillors, residents' association members and action groups as well as concerned individuals.

The meeting was also addressed by North Wales Police Authority chairman and Chirk councillor Ian Roberts and was chaired by Wynnstay councillor and Police Authority member Malcolm King (pictured).

No-one from North Wales Police attended the meeting.

Cllr Frank Biggs of Cefn Community Council questioned whether local MPs could be re-lied upon to vote against the Government.

He said: 'The voting record of Martyn Jones and Ian Lucas shows they rarely oppose the Government on controversial issues.'

The PCCG unanimously voted to fight the merger plans and will now set up a petition and write letters to Government ministers.

'The fight is down to you,' Cllr Roberts told the meeting.

'You have to go back to your communities and get them to write letters and take action to show that we are against this.'

Cllr King said a strong case had to be made in North Wales to convince politicians this decision could harm them in forthcoming elections.

'Tony Blair, Peter Hain and Charles Clarke have all said publicly that they believe Wales is behind them as South Wales has said it's for a merger.

'Politicians care about votes more than anything and these changes are due to be fully implemented in 2008, General Election year.

'Wales is not a region of England to be given one police force. We are a nation and we deserve to be treated as such.'