Police Station Closure: Sutton Coldfield

In the House of Commons adjournment debate on the proposed closure of the Royal Sutton Coldfield police station, the Member of Parliament for Sutton Coldfield, Mr. Andrew Mitchell, passionately argued against the closure. He emphasized the importance of a fully equipped, proactive, and professional police station in a town of over 100,000 inhabitants, which also hosts a major new housing development. Mr. Mitchell stressed the need for core policing, with a 24/7 response, locally based criminal investigation, and neighborhood officers who can address minor offenses and antisocial behavior. He pointed out that the residents of Sutton Coldfield pay £8 million into the police precept annually, and the estimated running cost of the current station represents less than 4% of this. Mr. Mitchell expressed his dismay at the lack of consultation with the local community and the apparent disregard for the wishes of the people by the Labour police and crime commissioner. In response, the Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention, Dame Diana Johnson, acknowledged the importance of a strong local police presence and the Government's commitment to restoring neighborhood policing. However, she emphasized that decisions regarding police stations are ultimately the responsibility of the operationally independent police and crime commissioner and chief constable. The Minister noted that while the current police station is listed for sale, it remains operationally open, and a new, smaller but more appropriately sized station is planned to be located nearby. During the debate, the Member of Parliament for Aldridge-Brownhills, Wendy Morton, intervened to highlight that the Sutton Coldfield police station also serves her constituents, particularly in the Streetly area, and that the proposed closure program has been ongoing for too long. The Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent Central, Gareth Snell, also expressed his concern about the lack of publicly accessible police stations in his constituency, regardless of the political affiliation of the police and crime commissioner.