Home   News   Article

Subscribe Now

Tadley police in talks over new base at Scout building





The Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Simon Hayes, said that police were looking for alternative accommodation within the Tadley community, at meeting on Tuesday evening, hosted by Hampshire Constabulary, at Tadley Town Council’s offices.
Mr Hayes (pictured at the meeting) said that they needed somewhere to house police, currently at Tadley police station, Mulfords Hill, elsewhere within the area.
The 12 police staff based at the station include a police inspector, a sergeant, six constables, four community support officers, and a special constable, along with four police vehicles and bicycles.
Mr Hayes said: “Police stations are going to disappear in the way we are used to seeing them, but a police presence will remain in the community.”
The future of Mulfords Hill station has been hanging in the balance for the past two years, since Hampshire Police Authority announced that it was to close 18 police stations throughout Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and sell off some of the buildings in a bid to slash some £40m from police estates budgets.
The money saved from the some-£84m allocated to police buildings and estates would be re-invested into police budgets, with rural policing a priority.
Insp Bill Pinnell said that police were in the initial stages of consulting with Tadley Scouts, led by Brian Spray, over a possible move to share the new Scout building in Southdown Road.
Accommodation at Tadley library and Tadley fire station had both been ruled out as too small.
Insp Pinnell stressed that Tadley police station would not close until alternative accommodation had been found.
“We are not leaving, we are just moving,” he said, adding that mobile technology now allowed police officers to work remotely.
Tadley town councillor Jo Slimmin, said that she was worried some members of the town’s community would lose contact with the police:
“I’m very concerned about the more vulnerable, who don’t have technology, such as the elderly, who are often victims of crime,” she said.
To combat this problem, Insp David Winter said that police beat surgeries would be held in the town, and information would be published by police in parish magazines.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More