Police officers in Oxfordshire could lose out in their bid to get extra money to offset high living costs, writes Andrew Ffrench.

Thames Valley Police are one of seven forces trying to persuade the Government to pay living allowances, to give them pay parity with London policemen.

But according to a report in Police Review magazine, the only officers in Thames Valley likely to benefit from any changes will be those living close to the capital. Police Authority representatives from the seven forces met Home Office staff to discuss the possibility of restoring living allowances, which were scrapped in 1994.

Officers who joined the Metropolitan Police after 1994 are now paid 6,000 more than their colleagues in surrounding forces.

Thames Valley Police chiefs are concerned that the pay difference, and rising house prices, will result in many officers transferring to the Met. Neil Taggart, chairman of the working party set up to look at the pay issue, said only officers working in areas closest to the Met should get the allowance.

He referred to what he called the "Chipping Norton argument", pointing out that while Chipping Norton was in the Thames Valley force area, it was closer to Birmingham than London.

He said: "I am against paying the allowance to every officer in the seven forces." Martin Elliott, a spokesman for the Thames Valley branch of the Police Federation, said he would continue to press for the living allowance for every officer in the force.

"The Chipping Norton argument isn't fair," he added.