A decision on a controversial plan to merge Devon and Cornwall Police with Dorset's force has been delayed so the business case can be scrutinised.

The abridged version of the full business case for the proposed merger of the two forces is being made available to staff and the public to allow greater transparency of the process.

At an Alliance Convergence Board meeting of Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners on Tuesday, there was disagreement over whether the business case should be submitted to the Home Office, triggering the next step in the merger process.

Devon and Cornwall PCC Alison Hernandez told the meeting she was minded to stop the merger from progressing but wanted members of the public and her police and crime panel to be able to scrutinise her view and the abridged business case for the merger before her meeting next Friday (October 5).

Dorset’s PCC Martyn Underhill and the two Chief Constables said they were prepared to submit the business case to the Home Office.

Alison said that while she agreed that the business case was viable, she was concerned that an engagement exercise held over the summer could not be used to show clear public support for a merger.

Key stakeholders Plymouth City Council and Cornwall Council came out strongly against a merged force.

In addition a merger would lead to a further increase in council tax precepts for Devon and Cornwall residents without clarity as to whether this would result in getting more for the money.

Alison said: “Members of the police and crime panel and councils previously raised concerns about this proposal and were highly critical of the fact that a business case which they could scrutinise had not been made available to them.

“I have now taken steps to enable them, and the public at large, to scrutinise the facts and figures behind these plans. I believe our communities still have major concerns about whether this merger will be a good deal for the people of Devon and Cornwall and I hear them loud and clear.

“The council tax issue is certainly difficult to overcome and I am not convinced that the huge disruption that a merger would cause is worth the relatively minor savings that it would deliver at a time when our communities want every officer to be completely focussed on frontline policing.”

A proposal that would have enabled the merger to deliver a further 430 officers across the three counties by allowing Devon and Cornwall precepts to ‘equalise up’ was blocked by the Home Office.

A final decision will be made on Monday, October 8.

“I would like to thank the team that has worked on this project to date and to every member of staff and member of the public who took the time to give us their opinion on this vital issue,” Alison added.

“I promised I would listen and take a balanced approach and believe this is the right decision for the people of Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.”