Revealed: Dudley police stations to start closing next week
Five Dudley police stations will start closing down from January 31 as part of cuts, it has been revealed.
The closures are part of a West Midlands Police plan to shut 28 in the region, saving £8.6 million.
First to be axed will be Netherton station, which shuts on January 31. Dudley's main town centre station, in New Street, closes on August 31, and next year sees Halesowen go on January 31, Stourbridge on May 31 and Kingswinford on July 31.
In total, 13 bases are closing in the Black Country as the force looks to slash costs.
Dudley councillor Elaine Taylor, whose ward covers Netherton, Woodside and St Andrews, expressed her dismay at the plans.
She said: "We have been told the closure of our station is still happening but they are looking at having an office in the locality so the public still have that service and that presence in the area.
"We are keeping our PCSOs which we are very happy about. There are no dates we have been told yet about when a new office might be opened, or how long it will be open during the day. The police station is an important part of any community, and we are sad to be losing ours.
"We had petitions to save it and to keep our PCSOs, luckily we have managed to keep one of the two. Unfortunately we can do nothing about the station closing, so there is no point in worrying about it."
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said: "These changes will have no impact on response times as response officers are not based at these locations. Between 2010 and 2015 West Midlands Police was cut harder than any other force in the country, which means we still have difficult decisions to make.
"My priority always will be people and not buildings. Many people from across the political divide have realised this. The overriding view of police professionals is that officers, not buildings, keep people safe."
Other bases in the Black Country to shut include six in Wolverhampton and one in Smethwick.
Heath Town and Graiseley close on January 31, Oxley, Pennwood Court and Staveley House close on March 30 and Tettenhall and Windmill House, Smethwick, close on February 28 next year.
Other stations closing in the West Midlands are in Birmingham at Canterbury Road, Billesley, Kings Heath, Sheldon, Sparkhill, Castle Vale, Kings Norton – including Masshouse Lane Annexe, Warstock, Longbridge, Bartley Green, Perry Barr, Handsworth West – Holyhead Road, and Jewellery Quarter.
Balsall Common in Solihull is also closing.
