'We still don't know where our cops will work or how many we'll have when our police station closes'
A leading Halesowen councillor is calling on police to provide more details about the closure of the town’s police station.
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Councillor Simon Phipps says while a letter to Dudley Council’s interim chief executive confirms police will stay in Halesowen, he says further information is needed.
Councillor Phipps, who is a member of the council’s cabinet, also says he has been left out of briefings on police plans.
Councillor Phipps said: “Whilst it is welcome to finally have confirmation that the police and crime commissioner will not force our local police officers to move to Dudley, I remain concerned at the lack of detail provided in the police’s plan to close Halesowen Police Station.
“We still don’t know where our local officers will be based in the future or how many people will be in that team of officers.”
“Despite the PCC’s claims that elected members have been ‘fully appraised’ on these proposals, nobody has contacted me directly to discuss his plans to close our police station.”
West Midlands Police is also set to open a new base at Castlegate in Dudley and close its headquarters in Brierley Hill.
The joint letter to Dudley’s top officer, Balvinder Heran, from the chief constable, Craig Guildford, and police and crime commissioner Simon Foster counters concerns about closing Brierley Hill by saying the building is not fit for purpose and that cops covering the area will be relocated to suitable nearby premises.
The letter also states: “The council and members will be aware that West Midlands Police have made and continue to make considerable savings.
“Our estate plans have been widely shared over a number of years and we are very much committed to delivering an improved estate for the people we serve and the officers of our force.
“We have invested in a new base in Stourbridge which has already received excellent feedback.
“Our plans for Halesowen are very much live, as we will not dispose of the site until we have found a suitable location for the neighbourhood team.”
Mr Foster has previously said the station in Halesowen will be sold off in 2025.
