Brighton and Hove has had one council for the last four years and has been a city since December.

Yet the police do not recognise the city in the way they operate. There is one division for Brighton alone and another combining Hove with Southwick and Shoreham.

Now Chief Constable Paul Whitehouse has asked for a study into whether there should be a new Brighton and Hove division with Southwick and Shoreham merging with Lancing and Worthing.

It seems entirely sensible that police boundaries should follow those of the council. Whereas there was once a boundary running down the middle, it doesn't exist any more.

Both divisions are headed by able commanders but they have different priorities. Whereas Brighton under Superintendent Andy Bliss tends to concentrate on major crimes, Superintendent Graham Cox and his team in Hove are often tackling what he calls quality of life issues such as begging.

The city as a whole will benefit if the good points of both approaches can be combined to cover the whole of Brighton and Hove.

Before Sussex Police was created in 1968, individual towns such as Brighton had their own forces with a real local identity.

A new Brighton and Hove division would help boost civic pride while retaining all the advantages that also come from the country-wide force.

It's hard to believe the study won't recommend the merger and if so it should be put into effect as soon as possible.