Burnham-On-Sea’s police station will be closing during the next year as part of a cost-cutting move, it has been confirmed this week.
Avon and Somerset Police said on Monday (April 28th) that it is closing Burnham and several other police stations across the region to reduce the number of its buildings by 36% by the year 2019.
Burnham Police Station will close in 2014 or 2015 and a smaller, new station will open nearby, it was confirmed.
“A new Burnham police station will open with an enquiry office and local policing base,” a force spokesman told Burnham-On-Sea.com.
“There is a potential for co-location with Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue, subject to funding.”
The closure of Burnham Police Station was first reported here in February by Burnham-On-Sea.com.
Sgt Ash Jones of Burnham Police said the station would close and its staff would move to a smaller, new location as part of the cost-cutting programme.
However, he stressed that there will be no reduction in levels of service to residents.
Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens said the restructuring strategy across the region will “minimise estate running costs wherever possible and align our buildings better to the locations we need to be”.
She said the force also plans to share facilities and buildings across the region with local councils, fire and ambulance services. She said this would mean “the police will be where you need them most, in the heart of your community”.
Some 134 police officers are losing their jobs this year across the whole force region, as reported here in January.
In total, the force wants to save £42million over the next four years to keep in line with the latest Government spending review.
