WEST Mercia Police has been recommended to move closer towards a fully-blown merger with Warwickshire - including axing one of the chief constables.

A hard-hitting report by the Police Foundation says the controversial alliance between the two forces needs to go even deeper.

The dossier, which widely praises the money-saving agreement between both forces, suggests either David Shaw, who earns £139,199 at the helm of West Mercia Police or his Warwickshire counterpart Andy Parker should go.

Its report, commissioned by the two police and crime commissioners (PCCs), said leadership and accountability was bureaucratic and that there was "too little holding to account for value for money".

It said the two PCCs and two chief constables, each with their own deputies, meant "complications around clarities of roles, responsibilities and accountability".

Following its publication today Bill Longmore, West Mercia's commissioner, ruled out any major changes before the General Election.

He said: "Many of the issues raised in the report are already being looked at, but it's only natural that the alliance is still evolving and we are committed to making it even better.

"welcome the report, it has been very helpful in confirming that the alliance is the right thing to do.

"It illustrates that this way of working together is now being recognised nationally and is something other forces can learn from."

The report backed the "significant achievements" of the alliance in combining resources and insisted it should be "trumpeted as a model that others could follow".

It said the forces had delivered "greater protection from harm and more visible policing, alongside evidence that value for money is being secured".

But ominously, it warned that job duplication at the top will "become increasingly difficult to defend as the next round of cuts begins to bite deep".

Ron Ball, Mr Longmore's counterpart at Warwickshire, called it a "full and frank" verdict but has disagreed with slashing one chief constable.

"Without this local level of power the system simply would not work as the very people that we are serving would not be heard," he said.

"Although the report refers to the creation of an 'increasingly unified policing organisation', I do not believe a full merger is necessary or desirable and one will not take place under my leadership."

The forces have saved a combined £30 million by slashing around 650 jobs, and merged functions like IT and vehicle fleet into one, but now needs to save another £30 million by 2018.

WE AIM TO “DEEPEN” THE ALLIANCE, SAY BOTH FORCES

A statement on the report has been issued on behalf of West Mercia Police and Warwickshire Police, saying the following:

"We welcome this report from the Police Foundation. It covers a huge range of issues around the alliance between our two forces, but overall we believe it presents a balanced and positive view of the work that has been done over the last few years.

"We are pleased that a key message from the independent report is that the achievements are significant and more importantly that the Foundation highlights that for the public in Warwickshire and West Mercia, there is now greater protection from harm as a result of the alliance so far.

"One area featured heavily in the report is the need to evaluate levels of demand in all areas for the forces and we have already embarked on this journey that will lead us to designing our policing service and standards for the future.

"Clearly there are many issues to be discussed including dealing with more cost savings required whilst at the same time improving service; the question of PCC and Chief Constable roles into the future, and the pressure for a full merger.

"Work from now on will concentrate on strengthening and deepening the alliance; always with the main aim of better protecting people from harm."