PCC's plan to move police HQ from Brierley Hill 'nonsensical' say councillors
Councillors in the Black Country have described a decision to move a police HQ as 'nonsensical', while running a petition to keep it open.
They have called on Simon Foster, Police & Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands (PCC), to find a new location for neighbourhood, response and public front desk officers in the town after he presses ahead with a plan to move police headquarters out of Brierley Hill.
Councillors Adam Davies and Wayne Little, Conservative ward councillors for Brierley Hill, say that despite strong concerns from residents and councillors, Mr Foster has confirmed his plan to move Dudley Borough’s Police HQ from its current location which is central to the borough in Brierley Hill to a new £3.35m site on the edge of the borough near Tipton.
In reply, Mr Foster said that as a consequence of the severe financial pressures placed on police forces, tough choices have had to be made, between maintaining and prioritising police officer and staff numbers or police buildings. He added that the West Midlands police budget remains under severe pressure – having had to make cuts of £28 million this year – and a further £22 million of cuts will be required in the next financial year.
