WILTSHIRE Police will have to wait until March for a response from the Government on its ideas about amalgamation.
In December the force submitted a report on plans for a regional force and expected a reply in February, but this has been put back a month by the Home Secretary.
The Government wants to create a regional police force, by amalgamating the forces of Wiltshire, Dorset and Gloucestershire.
But the Wiltshire force wants to remain independent and form a strategic alliance of the three forces It says this would improve policing in dealing with cross-border crime, major incidents and roads.
A full business case for that alliance has now been submitted to the Home Office this week.
Police Authority chairman, Bertie Woolnough, said: "This is the culmination of much hard work done by the three forces in very quick time.
"We hope the Home Secretary will look very carefully at the arguments advanced in favour of the federated option."
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