Have your say on police station plan
MERSEYSIDE’S Police Commissioner is asking local residents to tell her their views on plans to open a community police station in Maghull Town Hall.
Jane Kennedy is proposing to locate the accessible in the Town Hall in Hall Lane to replace Maghull’s existing police station in Westway, which is 20 years old and is closed to the public at present.
The proposals are part of the commissioner’s 10-year investment plan which will modernise Merseyside’s police stations and facilities.
Ms Kennedy unveiled the proposals in October 2014 when she launched a two-month, Merseyside-wide consultation which included an online survey, community road shows and public meetings.
The proposals received overwhelming support, with 92% of respondents agreeing.
At the heart of the proposals was the creation of a network of modern, community police stations across Merseyside, where neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs would be located in busy local hubs alongside partners.
Since 2014 Ms Kennedy has been working with the force’s estates and facilities team to identify appropriate venues for these new stations around Merseyside.
Now she wants to see if local people agree that Maghull Town Hall would be the best location for their community police station.
It would be the first such station in Sefton.
Ms Kennedy said: “People across Merseyside overwhelmingly gave me their support for my proposals to improve Merseyside police’s stations and make them more accessible to the public. I think Maghull Town Hall is an excellent location for this community police station. “It is centrally located and will see the policing team co-located with councillors, council workers and a host of voluntary groups which serve the local community. “Now I want to hear the views of local people and make sure that they agree. “It is vital we put these community police stations in the best place for the people they serve so I really want to know if we’ve got it right.” The leader of Maghull Town Council, Cllr Patrick McKinley, said: “We welcome the proposals from the PCC for a new community police station in Maghull. “A small group of us have been working and negotiating with Merseyside police over the past year to bring this to fruition for Maghull.
“We should not underestimate the achievement or the importance of this for the Maghull community.
“We will be the first area to have one of the new generation of community police stations in the whole of Sefton and this will bring community police back into the heart of Maghull.
“It is a clear demonstration of the PCC’s commitment to local community policing.”
Deputy council leader John Sayers said: “This is a unique opportunity for Maghull and fits in perfectly with our neighbourhood and anti-social behaviour plans.
“We have been working closely with our police on a range of issues and the community police station will further cement our partnership to help us to address some of the issues facing Maghull, particularly during times when resources are stretched.
“I would like to thank the PCC for demonstrating this commitment to Maghull.”
People are asked to share their views by emailing info@merseysidepcc.info.