Decision looms on police station opening

Residents are being urged to make the most of a Sandwell police station as a trial to keep it open to the public draws to a close.

Old Hill police station in Cradley Heath re-opened its doors to visitors again in March, four years after it closed its front desk due to a lack of staff.

The three-month trial period, which sees the front desk open from 10am to 6pm five days a week, comes to an end on June 12 and chiefs insist members of the public can still influence the final decision on whether or not it will stay open permanently.

The station in Halesowen Road is staffed with around 100 officers and is in use around the clock but people had not previously been able to go inside to make inquiries or report crimes. Insp Denise Clarke, based at Old Hill, said the trial had received some positive feedback from people in the area, but a final decision would be made by West Midlands Police Ch Supt Andrew Jewkes, based on the best use of staff resources. "No decision have been made yet," she said.

"It has always been a three month trial and it will stay open and available to the public five days a week from 10am to 6pm.

"A decision will be made hopefully soon as there are issues about arranging staff if it is to stay open," she added.

Halesowen and Rowley Regis MP Sylvia Heal campaigned to get the front counter reopened for a year after being contacted by concerned residents. She said residents and community groups in the area had reacted very positively to the facility being open during the week.

"A number of people have said to me how pleased they are to find that it's reopened," she said.

"I'm not sure what the final figures are or what the final decision will be but people have been very pleased so we are hoping that there is sufficient use to persuade Ch Supt Andrew Jewkes to continue with the reopening."