FOUR police stations are to close across Nottingham – as Government budget cuts push the force to "tipping point".
The move was announced today by Assistant Chief Constable Simon Torr, who confirmed the police stations in Sneinton, The Meadows, Arnold and Carlton are to close.
He said there would be no reduction in the number of officers on the beat and alternative sites would be set up, possibly in shops or shared buildings, so that people could still meet their local beat officers.
But he warned that Notts Police had reached a stage where there were no more savings to be made – following budget cuts of £42 million in the past four years.
A public consultation has run for several months about the future of the four police stations, headed up by Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping.
Mr Tipping admitted that the proposals were not popular with the public, but said that relocating staff to other sites – so the buildings could be sold off – and installing local bases to house neighbourhood policing teams would keep the areas safe. This will also save £2.4 million over three years.
Mr Tipping said: "While people didn't necessarily like the fact that police stations and front counters must change to negotiate current funding pressures, they do understand that we have little room to manoeuvre and our hands are effectively tied.
"I think it's fair to say that no one wants to put buildings before police officers, so the only way around it is to utilise our front counters more effectively."
Mr Tipping said he had also listened to the worries of more than 2,000 people in Carlton who signed a petition protesting against the closure following an article in the Post.
"Carlton Police Station is a big, prestigious building and people are concerned about it, so we have listened and are going to keep the front counter open rather than close it," he said.
Mr Tipping also promised no police stations would close until the smaller bases had opened.
Assistant Chief Constable Torr welcomed a more "business-like" approach to the service, ensuring it offers value for tax payers' money. "We can't cut £40 million out of a budget and say it has had no effect," he added.
