Hove Police Station is at risk of closure, according to a Brighton councillor.
Warren Morgan, one of the Labour councillors for East Brighton and the party’s spokesman on community safety on Brighton and Hove City Council, spoke of his concern this week.
He said that the threat to Hove Police Station came to light when he questioned Sussex Police Chief Superintendent Graham Bartlett, at a recent meeting of the Community Safety Forum.
Councillor Morgan said that it was then confirmed by Chief Superintendent Bartlett, the police commander for Brighton and Hove, that the station was now under threat of closure.
Councillor Morgan’s concern was prompted by the decision to close the Road Policing Unit at Hove.
Traffic officers from Haywards Heath will police the roads of Brighton and Hove from April.
Sussex Police said yesterday that it was reviewing the future of all 36 of its police stations but had made no decisions at this stage.
It said that no police stations would close unless it was satisfied that the community would still be served properly.
The concern comes as the force is trying to make cuts of £50 million by 2015.
Hove Labour councillor Melanie Davis submitted an e-petition on Wednesday (19 January) in reaction to the possible closure.
It is entitled: “Hove and Portslade must have a police station.”
The petition is due to appear soon on the council’s website at www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/e-petitions.
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Councillor Morgan, said: “I am very concerned to learn, in response to my question on the future of Holland Road police station, that it is in jeopardy.
“It is important that all residents of Brighton and Hove have a local, accessible and responsive police presence, and we will be campaigning vigorously against this and other Conservative government cuts to local policing.
“If it is a question of money, why is the Conservative government wasting £140 million on scrapping local police authorities and replacing them with elected police commissioners?”
Councillor Davis, who represents Goldsmid ward, which includes the police station, said: “Hove must have its own police station.
“This is shocking news. We were told there would be no cuts to frontline services and this is what is now being said.”
Sussex Police said: “As part of Sussex Police’s plans to save more than £50 million by 2015 the force has already confirmed that the road policing unit at Hove will be removed and be covered by another base.
“A review has been looking in detail at each of the 36 police stations in Sussex and a wider range of ways in which the public can contact police.
“Part of this review involves looking at placing police in bases at the heart of communities.
“The force is currently consulting with the public about how they would like to contact police.
“No further decisions about changes at any stations, including Hove, have been made at this stage.
“Once this has taken place Sussex Police will consider if any further changes are to be made.”
