Shoreham; MP Not Happy At Police Closures

27 June 2013, 15:07 | Updated: 27 June 2013, 15:14

Sussex Police has launched it's 'estates strategy' which will see nearly twenty stations close and be repleaced by Community hubs in places like Town Halls and Libraries

In Adur; Shoreham and Lancing police stations will close and the Specialist Search Unit will move away from Shoreham Airport. 

This statement is from the East Worthing and Shoreham MP
 
‘I appreciate that the police are looking at ways of modernising their public facing operations and streamlining their estate but it would appear that Adur is to suffer disproportionately with a treble whammy of closures. Lancing has not been fully open to the public for some time and the operation at the Airport is not intended to deal directly with my constituents but Shoreham police station is greatly valued and would represent a huge loss to the local community. The strategy talks about co-locating future services and engaging with the public in different ways but there is absolutely no detail about what my constituents can expect to replace these familiar police bases. It is imperative that the police make a coherent case for how this poses no detrimental effect on the threat of crime facing my constituents.
 
I am not at all impressed with the way this has been handled and having met the Chief Constable and Commissioner recently with other Sussex MPs there was absolutely no mention that such an important announcement was imminent or the details of where would be involved. The timing is particularly crass as this week Adur Council are announcing details of their new civic presence in Shoreham and presumably the police could have been a part of that if only they had spoken to the Council. I will be seeking an urgent meeting with the police to give details of what changes my constituents will expect well before the planned changes come in.’