IT will never work. That was the gloomy prediction over plans to merge Fareham and Gosport police units.

Hampshire County Council chairman Margaret Snaith condemned the plan to merge the higher management of the two stations at Fareham.

She said: "Whoever thought of the idea to amalgamate the two areas must have been out of their tree. Gosport and Fareham have never worked together - and they never will.

"This is just another nail in the coffin for Gosport. First our courts were done away with and moved to Fareham, then our social services - and now this.''

Mrs Snaith, who represents Gosport, added: "We are on the peninsula and have some of the most deprived areas of the county. The perception will be that all the resources are moving up to Fareham. I am deeply unhappy and have grave reservations."

The criticism came at a Hampshire Police Authority meeting where plans outlining the amalgamation were approved.

Under the proposals the two areas will become one unit with one superintendent and chief inspector being retained instead of two.

Both posts are likely to be stationed at Fareham but the finer details of the plans are yet to be ironed out. However, members of the police authority were told that there would be no plans to close either station or cut hours.

Kerry Bedford, chief inspector at Fareham, said: "I can understand people's reservations about merging the two areas> People are bound to have that view but I believe that is really something we can overcome.

"We will need to work hard to reassure people in Gosport that they still have the same access to their police force in the area. They need to be assured that we will work to serve the area in the same way if not better."

Chief Constable Paul Kernaghan said the force was under pressure to make basic command units bigger.

"I am conscious there will be continued pressure on the force to amalgamate units but the decision has been taken based on professional policing reasons," he said.

The merging of Andover and Eastleigh units have also been approved, although that chief inspector posts will be retained at each station.