Fears grow over closure of Barton police station in Gloucester
FEARS are growing that Barton police station could be set for closure, amid fierce opposition.
Barton's station is threatened with closure under plans by Gloucestershire Police Authority which would replace it with a "police point".
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OUTRAGE: Shaun Shute (resident), Jasminder Gill (who is standing for county council) and Said Hansdot.
Opponents have gathered hundreds of signatures in the battle to keep it open, which has taken a new twist.
At a full meeting of Gloucester City Council on September 27, a motion was proposed by the Labour Group to delete the police station from the closure list.
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However, this was opposed by councillor Jennie Dallimore (C, Podsmead), who also works in Gloucester MP Richard Graham's office, causing outrage in the council chamber.
She said: "They wanted us to agree to lobby the police commissioner to keep the station open.
"While we noted the importance of community safety and the great work that goes on there, we decided this was a decision to be made by the commissioner. Therefore we moved an amendment to the motion which recognised the importance of community safety and also the importance of a police presence in the area."
Councillor Said Hansdot (L, Barton and Tredworth) said: "I hoped we would have cross-party support to protect Barton Street Police Station from a closure plan that has already resulted in 16 of the county's 31 police stations closing.
"But of all the people to oppose the plans I would never have expected Richard Graham MP's assistant to second the amendment deleting Barton Street police station from my motion."
Councillor Usman Bhaimia (L, Barton and Tredworth) said: "This amendment will give the green light to the downgrading of our community police station to a pen pusher information point at best."
Comments
by FreeRadical1
Monday, October 22 2012, 4:36PM
“Local police stations are important. Most local police officers don't have transport, so they need a base that is not too far from the area that they are supposed to be policing. By the way, Hucclecote provides a base for 'local' policing for areas as far apart as Matson and Witcombe.”
by MarkC11
Monday, October 22 2012, 3:59PM
“Ok so why should Barton Street be getting any extra support over say other areas, it is police on the streets that matter buildings dont catch criminals. Still a bit of blatant electioneering passede off as news. It says a lot about the Labour party that this is the best they can come up with, and if I rememebr correctly the Labour members of the polcie authority supported the police authority plan.”
by Ysedra
Monday, October 22 2012, 2:15PM
“I think local police stations are a bit like the local pub, or community centre. That is, a hub of the community in the past, but now marginalised by a modern culture which dials 999 at the drop of a hat (and often a silly hat at that), and finds bargain booze to be a less strenuous alternative to both socialising and community activities.
So really, who's going to miss this station? Not that I'm convinced by the claim that closing it will lead to more bobbies on the beat.”
by NibNobs
Monday, October 22 2012, 1:41PM
“What!!!? Surely they need a police station more in that location than in say Hucclecote, where there is still a small police station. RIDICULOUS.”
by IsitJimKerr
Monday, October 22 2012, 12:35PM
“Can someone tell me the last time they set foot inside ANY Police Station, let alone Barton Street?
I appreciate the concerns of the local residents, but 'coppers on the beat' is what all of us want, and they don't usually come from your local cop shop.
So actually closing a huge two hundred year old building will free up resources, surely.”
by Lecorche
Monday, October 22 2012, 9:22AM
“Looks to me like a prime example of what the Tories mean by 'Tough but Intelligent' against Crime.
They continue to be so far out of touch with Law and Order (or most other things that us Plebs deem important) that I'm amazed that there are still windows in Westminster's Jolly-Boys Club.”