THE closure of Ammanford police station’s front desk will have a major detrimental impact on the local community.

That is the fear of Llandybiebased county councillor Anthony Jones who urged Llandybie community council to protest “in the strongest possible terms” about plans to close the police station in Foundry Road to the public.

He was responding to last week’s Guardian front page which revealed Dyfed-Powys Police planned to “substitute”

the front desk with regular visits to local communities by police officers and PCSOs using mobile police stations.

Aplainly unhappy Cllr Jones said: “This is a decision which will come back to haunt us.

“That station should be open to members of the public and the police should be left in no doubt as to the strength of feeling about this in the local community.

“We should register the concern we have at the impact this will have in the strongest possible terms.”

Cllr Jones shook his head in silence as fellow county councillor Peter Cooper said a mobile police station would be present at Carregaman car park on Tuesdays and Fridays and a public information point was being set up at Ammanford Town Hall.

Cllr Nesta Price complained residents could no longer call in at Cross Hands police station, but had to travel to Carmarthen or Llanelli.

“This is a continuation of the breaking down of social justice in Ammanford ever since the closure of the town’s courthouse,”

said county councillor Alun Davies.

Llandybie councillors agreed to write to Dyfed-Powys Police Authority re-affirming their opposition to the front desk closure.

Chief Constable Jackie Roberts has said the changes are a result of the need to deliver £13.5 million worth of cost reductions across all services.