GOVERNMENT plans to change the way police are governed have led two North-East forces to shelve merger talks.

The police authorities that oversee the Durham and Northumbria forces have been discussing merging for several months.

But the two groups said yesterday that the talks were at an end because the Government plans to abolish police authorities and introduce directly- elected police and crime commissioners.

In a statement, the authorities said: “Both forces, however, will continue to seek out new opportunities and ways in which they can collaborate and share services in order to provide more efficient policing.”

Durham Police Authority chairman Peter Thompson said: “When we started merger talks earlier this year, policing was very different.

“The Government is proposing abolishing police authorities by May 2012. With everything that is happening, and the changes taking place, it seems inappropriate to continue to look at a statutory merger.”

His counterpart at Northumbria, Councillor Mick Henry, said: “Merger talks were right at the time, but now we need to refocus our thinking.

“Both forces will still seek out ways to work together and share services, but we will not be pursuing the idea of a statutory merger.

“If plans to introduce police and crime commissioners change then, of course, both authorities can review this decision.”

The authorities said the merger talks were aimed at improving policing in the area.

A three-way merger involving Cleveland was looked at in 2006, but ruled out.