Police bases in Caerphilly town, Risca and Ystrad Mynach are to reopen their front desks to the public, Caerphilly Observer understands.
Sources have told us that Caerphilly town’s police station on Market Street could close with Monday to Friday public access to officers being reinstated at the town’s new £5 million library at the Twyn.
Caerphilly Observer has also learned that Risca and Ystrad Mynach police stations could also reopen to the public on a 9am to 5pm basis on weekdays.
Public access to Risca, Ystrad Mynach and Caerphilly stations ceased in July 2012 under former Chief Constable Carmel Napier.
The front desk closures were part of a plan to save £500,000 from the police budget – part of a wider need by Gwent Police to save £34 million by 2015 in light of public sector cuts by the UK Government.
In total, 17 station front desks closed to the public including Bedwas, Bargoed and Rhymney.
In November last year, Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner Ian Johnston admitted the force may have gotten some of the closures wrong.
At the time Mr Johnston, who last year forced former Chief Constable Napier to retire early, said: “We are reviewing the process and procedure that resulted in police stations being closed.
“We are doing this in consultation with Gwent Police’s Deputy Chief Constable Lorraine Bottomley and local police commanders, who have been asked to answer the consultation around the need for police stations to be opened.”
Mr Johnston previously told us: “I have attended over 200 meetings in the last 12 months and police station closures are seen by the public to have been very badly handled and a great deal of feedback has related specifically to Caerphilly Police Station.”
It is also understood that Bargoed Police Station is to be leased to Bargoed Town Council on a peppercorn rent.
The plans are subject to a meeting of the Gwent Police and Crime Panel being held on Friday January 24.
However, when approached by Caerphilly Observer Police and Crime Commissioner Mr Johnston said he could not comment until after the meeting.
Blackwood is currently the only station in Caerphilly County Borough that has a public front desk open from 8am to 8pm seven days a week.
Good news; if it happens.
Only good news if the `DESK` at the new library offers confidential and private facilities so that confidential and personally private issues can be discussed with police staff, preferably a Police Officer. I have doubts that such facilities will be made available before lauding the proposals.
This is excellent news. I'm sure there will be facilities in the library for private discussions. Lindsay Whittle raised the issue of re-opening a front desk with the Police Commissioner back in November and met Inspector Staniforth so good news that front desks will come back in Ystrad Mynach and Risca as well as Caerphilly. Decision to close desk in Caerphilly particularly short-sighted.
It was a very poor decision to close Caerphilly police station and if this news is correct then this is to be welcomed. I remember vigorously making the case against the closure of Caerphilly police station when the former Chief Constable Carmel Napier met with Caerphilly Councillors in the summer of 2012.
I told her it was wrong to close Caerphilly police station given the size of the town and under the "price per visit" criteria she used to calculate where the closures would take place, Caerphilly station came out cheaper than average when compared to all stations in the Gwent area. I made the case that Abergavenny station, which was spared closure, was far more costly on this measure so why was that station kept open and Caerphilly closed?
I know that the big majority of people I spoke to were against the closure of Caerphilly police station and the Caerphilly Labour Party played their part in campaigning against the closure with over 1,000 signatures against it. Lets hope the public and political pressure has been taken on board.