'Waste of money has cost Ammanford its police front desk' (From South Wales Guardian)

'Waste of money has cost Ammanford its police front desk'

6:40am Wednesday 31st October 2012 in Ammanford news

AMMANFORD police station’s front counter – due to close this week – will be replaced by regular visits to local communities by police officers and PCSOs using mobile police stations, under plans put forward by Dyfed-Powys Police.

The force has also teamed up with Carmarthenshire county council to provide a new public information point at Ammanford Town Hall.

But local councillors have expressed scepticism at claims that the closure of the town’s police station to the public will be offset by improved services.

“Ammanford is a large town which services the Amman Valley and surrounding areas,” said county councillor Deian Harries, whose late father, Gwyndaf, was a policeman in the town. “It is essential we have a desk that is open on a daily basis.

“For generations people have considered the police desk as a safe place where you could speak to welltrained police staff who could advise you as well.

Now this has gone.

“Around a million pounds a year of taxpayers’ money is spent keeping the station open. This total waste of money has nowcost us our front desk service.”

Town councillor Wendy Evans said the policing alternatives were a “trial and error” policy.

“The county council should not be helping the Dyfed-Powys Police Authority to downgrade Ammanford police station,”

she said.

Police say findings from an internal review revealed that fewer people are attending police stations, a trend likely to continue in future.

A mobile police station will be based at Carregaman car park on Tuesdays (10am-2pm) and Fridays (2pm-6pm).

Chief Constable Jackie Roberts said: “We are making these changes to try and improve our services to the public while also delivering £13.5 million worth of cost reductions across all our services.”