Call for probe into Ammanford cop shop 'fiasco' (From South Wales Guardian)

Call for probe into Ammanford cop shop 'fiasco'

7:00am Wednesday 25th January 2012 in News

A LEADING local politician has called for an independent investigation into the Ammanford police station “fiasco”.

Cllr Kevin Madge, Labour leader at Carmarthenshire county council, says he is “outraged”

at the news – exclusively revealed in lastweek’sGuardian– that the facility, which lies almost empty, is costing Dyfed-Powys Police £700,000 a year.

“An urgent independent investigation needs to be carried out into how this was allowed,” he said.

“Not only is it a complete drain on resources at a time when the police force faces its most challengingtimefinancially, but it is also a complete fiasco.

“The building is barely being used, the cells are not used, it is treated as a 9 to 5 office for a small number of employeeswhocould easily be accommodated elsewhere.

Urgent questions need to be asked as to how this could have been allowed.”

Chief Constable Ian Arundale revealed last week that paying for the FoundryRoadstation -built by TRJ in 2001 –was costing a quarter of his total estates budget.

Cllr Madge added: “I have every sympathy for the Chief Constable, he has inherited this white elephant and is doing all he can to sort it out, however it’s unlikely that anything can be done at this late stage. But at the very least, we need answers as towhy it happened in the first place to ensure that nothing like it can happen again.”