New calls to keep Solihull Police Station open

“Ridiculous” plans to close the current Solihull Police Station need a major rethink, a former serving officer has said.

Cllr Joe Tildesley, who knows the Homer Road building well from his previous career, said that the decision to sell off the site was “the number one issue” raised by residents.

There was widespread concern when plans to dispose of the “underused” station, as part of a wider strategy to save £5 million a year, were agreed 18 months ago.

The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, David Jamieson, promised at the time that an alternative base would be found nearby, although no firm details have yet been announced.

This month, Cllr Tildesley (Con, St Alphege), whose ward includes the town centre, said that the recent pledge by Boris Johnson to recruit thousands more officers nationwide strengthened the case for keeping the station where it was.

“The Prime Minister has promised 20,000 extra officers … they have got to go somewhere.

“Over the last few month there has been a lot of changes, we have a new Prime Minister and a new Home Secretary and … policing is going to change, they have made that very, very clear. The announcements have been transformational.

“[The Police and Crime Commissioner] has to face up and accept that it’s very different now to 18 months ago.”

When Mr Jamieson announced the plans early last year, he argued that the force was facing huge financial pressures, with government austerity measures having forced swingeing cuts in the past decade.

But the proposals had put him at odds with Solihull councillors, who claimed that there had been a lack of consultation and that the change would damage public confidence in the force.

Cllr Tildesley, who was among the sternest critics, remains unconvinced by promises of another site being secured nearby and said that the current plans would see policing suffer “as sure as night follows day”.

“If there is an awful incident and a young lady is terribly abused and needs a place of safety, that’s what the police station is fundamentally all about.”

Although Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Ashley Bertie has reiterated that no neighbourhood which currently has a front desk will lose this service.

“After government cuts totalling £175 million since 2010 the force must continue to find efficiencies to protect officer numbers,” he said.

“Only 10 per cent of Solihull’s police station is currently used and it is costing a significant amount of taxpayers’ money to keep the building running.”

He added: “Currently West Midlands Police is talking to Solihull Council about securing an alternative site for officers in the town.

“The station will remain open until a viable alternative has been found.”

The plans, which are scheduled for late 2020, are likely to be a key issue at next year’s Police and Crime Commissioner elections.

Mr Jamieson will be stepping down after almost six years in the job, with a fierce fight expected between whoever Labour chooses as his successor and the other political parties.

Jay Singh-Sohal, who was selected as the Conservative candidate last week, has already pledged to keep Solihull Police Station open, having been asked about the issue during a hustings in Knowle.

Read more: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/new-calls-keep-solihull-police-16785582