A POLICE post in Worcester has been earmarked for potential closure as one city councillor urged people in the city to 'ratchet up' the fight to save it.

The post in Dines Green has been used as a base for community policing for a number of years. Now it is at risk of closure as part of an estates strategy to save public money.

MORE STORIES

Miracle escape - family dodge death in horror house crash

Worcester man arrested for alleged layby rape

Cllr Richard Udall, a county and city councillor, encouraged everyone who could to engage in the consultation and save the police post which he says should be expanded, not cut, as the population rises.

 

 

Cllr Udall called on people to join a campaign to 'save the police post' in Burleigh Road. He said: "I think it's a serious retrograde step, something which we will be doing everything in our power to try and reverse."

He said he would be tabling a motion at the next full meeting of Worcester City Council on July 5 to try and put a stop to the proposal which is open to consultation until July 11.

Cllr Udall said: "Anybody and everybody who has a concern about the issue should participate in the consultation so the police commissioner knows the full extent of people's views.

"It's going to cause almighty upset and frustration. We want as many people as possible to know about it. We will be ratcheting up the campaign to save the police post."

He said the west of Worcester was getting bigger, not smaller.

"It's a short-sighted proposal which has not taken account of all the facts and issues relating to St John's," he said.

As part of an estates strategy, the proposal is the post be replaced by a 'mobile police station'.

Other police posts across West Mercia face a similar fate 'by 2030' including Tenbury Wells which will be 'disposed' of and services relocated to the fire station.

Redditch police post is also set to close and be replaced with a new shared station.

The Walshes post in Stourport and Windermere House are also set to close and be replaced with a mobile police station.

There will be 'new shared facilities' in Abberley and Bewdley.

However, many sites across Worcestershire will be retained including Droitwich, Blackpole Garages, Bromsgrove, Evesham (shared with a new partner), Malvern, Pershore, Stourport, Tolladine YJS, Warndon office, Warndon SNT office, Upton and Worcester city.

According to the estates strategy, the West Mercia Police estate consists of 91 sites with 111 separate buildings (including masts and Hindlip Church).

A combined gross internal area of all West Mercia’s stations and headquarter buildings equates to 38,280 square metres.

The report says the estate 'is aging and incurs significant annual running costs, of circa £8.9m per year'.

In total 61 per cent of sites are freehold and 39 per cent leasehold.

The assets have been valued at more than £62 million as of March 31, 2020.

Announcing the strategy, police and crime commissioner John Campion said: "I am committed to ensuring I am a good custodian of the police estate on behalf of our communities.

"I will make sure that our police estate gets the right investment, is more sustainable, is situated in the right places, and is aligned to operational needs.

"This will in turn set our police force up to succeed, both now and in the future." 

The strategy refers to co-location, including working collaboratively with other blue light organisations and public sector partners, such as Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS), West Midlands Ambulance Service, unitary, county, district, town and parish councils.

The West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner and West Mercia Police have been approached for a comment.

A consultation (www.westmercia-pcc.gov.uk/estate-strategy/) gives people the opportunity to respond by July 11.

Comments can be made by visiting https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90450236/Estates-Strategy-Consultation