HC Deb 06 November 1947 vol 443 c244W
89. Mr. G. Jeger

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has come to any decision on the application made by the Bournemouth Town Council for permission to establish a separate police force.

Mr. Ede

Yes. After consulting the Hampshire Standing Joint Committee I have informed the Bournemouth Council that I am prepared to agree that the Order constituting the Hampshire combined police force should be amended so as to enable Bournemouth to establish its own separate police force as from 1st April next. In coming to this conclusion, I have had in mind the fact that Bournemouth is a county borough with a population of over 100,000 and that if it had had a separate police force when the Police Act, 1946, was passed, there would have been no power, in view of the proviso to Section 4 (1) of that Act, to make a compulsory scheme amalgamating Bournemouth with Hampshire for police purposes.