NEWPORT MP Paul Flynn wrote a personal letter to the Home Secretary to tell of his "stomach-churning dismay" at proposals to merge police forces. Mr Flynn is one of a band of local cross-party politicians fiercely opposed to plans which could mean the end of Gwent Police.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke is proposing to merge some of Wales and England's 43 police forces.

Mr Clarke has said he expects smaller forces to merge into units of not less than 4,000 - Gwent Police currently employs 1,474 officers. Wales' Chief Constables and police authorities are now considering what the future structure of the forces should be.

In the letter sent yesterday to the Home Secretary, Mr Flynn writes: "With stomach-churning dismay and a powerful sense of deja-vu I heard of the proposals to re-organise police forces.

"As an elected politician in Gwent for 33 years I have been involved and observed many reorganisations of local government, NHS, government agencies and other bodies.

"Few, if any, of these have been worthwhile. "Usually, the damage caused by the disruption of reorganisations has outweighed any advantages of the new systems.

"Increased waste, staffing and reduced efficiency have characterised most shake-ups.

"For re-organisation read chaos and waste-creation plus a big dollop of self-gratification for the re-organisers."

Mr Flynn, the Labour MP for Newport West since 1987, goes on to write: "A system in a permanent state of flux is often the irresistible ambition for politicians, administrators, theoreticians and others seeking to make their marks.

"Few politicians have tangible memorials to their work but many can point to the changes in systems that carry their names.

"The disruption of change is always a useful cloak and excuse for a system that is performing badly."

But, he writes: "I am entirely convinced that the Gwent Police force is institutionally sound and should be free to continue its service with its present structure...The voices of Gwent appear to be unanimous in saying that our force is working splendidly. Let them get on with the job." He argues against forces of more than 4,000 officers: "We now hear a familiar refrain that forces of more than 4,000 'tend to perform best'.

"Experience tells us the opposite. Even less persuasive is the excuse that the system has not changed for years and modern conditions necessitate a root and branch reform. This is the usual self-serving delusion of continuous upheaval.

"The most difficult task in administration and politics is to make existing systems work efficiently not to disguise incompetence with a flurry of activity."