West Mercia PCC appeals for views on future force plans

The public will be able to make their views known about proposed changes to local policing, as West Mercia’s Police and Crime Commissioner pledged today: “I am listening”.

Part of the plan involves closing a number of police stations and restructuring local policing teams. The West Mercia Police call centre located at battlefield in Shrewsbury is also set for closure.

The new proposed local policing structure in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin would see patrol bases in Shrewsbury, Market Drayton, Malinsgate and Oswestry.

Safer Neighbourhood Team Bases will operate in:
Wem, Pontesbury, Church Stretton, Bridgnorth, Bishops Castle, Highley, Wellington, Madeley, and Donnington. Bases in Shrewsbury Town Office, Ludlow and Much Wenlock would relocate.

Community Policing Posts retained locations:
Tern Hill, Hodnet, Gobowen, Weston Rhyn, Broseley, Meole Brace School, Harlescott, Condover, Radbrook, Shrewsbury College, Hadley Centre, St Georges Village Hall and Old Park Primary.

Closures:
Craven Arms, Shifnal, Whitchurch, Newport and Cleobury Mortimer stations would be replaced with Community Police Posts.

Stations in Albrighton and Ellesmere, Ironbridge and Donnington Mill will close.

Safer Neighbourhood Teams
In Shropshire there will be twenty Safer Neighbourhood Teams including three Priority Policing Areas (Shrewsbury Central, Harlescott and Sundorne, Castlefields and Bagley). In Telford and Wrekin there will be fourteen Safer Neighbourhood Teams including six Priority Policing Areas (Arleston & College, Hadley & Leegomery, Dawley and Malinslee, Brookside, Cuckoo Oak & Ironbridge and Woodside and Madeley).

The force will continue to operate in five geographic policing areas within the counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire, aligned to local authority boundaries. Each of the five local policing areas will be led by a Superintendent who will make decisions for their local community.

As part of the plans, there will be 11 main patrol bases across West Mercia and 82 Safer Neighbourhood Teams which will mean every community in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, Herefordshire and Worcestershire will maintain a good policing presence.

Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia, Bill Longmore, said: “I hope people understand the very difficult financial situation the police are in, and that changes have to be made to make better use of the funding that’s available. I would urge people to contact me or come along to one of these public events, because I am eager to hear what you think – I am listening.

“It’s important that we look at every aspect of the service to see where efficiencies can be made, and I think most people would agree that it’s more of a priority to have officers on the beat rather than paying for the upkeep of lots of police stations. By looking at the police estate we can save £1.5 million, which is the equivalent of 30 Police Constables or 51 PCSOs.

“Having said all that, I do appreciate that people value their local police station so we will be carefully considering all the factors before any decisions are made.

“If people want me to come out and meet them in their local community, I’m more than happy to do that. Just contact me through the website and I will do my best to meet as many people as possible.”

A public meeting to find out more about the plans will take place at Shropshire Food Enterprise Centre in Shrewsbury on Thursday 28 February 2013, starting at 1pm.