Councillors at a meetings of Full Council last Wednesday night agreed a resolution that West Lancs Borough Council:
• Deplores proposals to close the front desk service at Ormskirk Police Station, leaving the 'capital' of West Lancashire without a place for the public to report a crime face-to-face;
• Strongly opposes the plans for rural policing, especially the cuts announced to rural police numbers, which together with the latest plans to close police facilities in Burscough, Aughton, Scarisbrick, Parbold and Rufford, will leave people in these areas more vulnerable, especially to the threat from cross-border crime from our Metropolitan neighbours;
• Notes that no proposals have been brought forward for further financial efficiencies such as sharing premises with other public services; reviewing car purchasing policies or deployment patterns;
• Calls on the Lancashire Police Authority to immediately withdraw these proposals, as we do not consider them to be an appropriate plan for policing West Lancashire ;
• Recognises that Lancashire Constabulary is required to make these cuts;
• Instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Home Secretary seeking an urgent review of how the police are undertaking these cuts in the interests of the safety and well-being of West Lancashire residents.
Burscough West Conservative Cllr Jason led the debate and said: "I am pleased my motion received cross party support. There is a recognition that Lancashire Police needs to balance the books but there are real concerns about how they are going about it."
Burscough East Conservative Cllr George Pratt was among the many Conservative councillors who spoke in support of Cllr Grice's motion. He said: "The police need to work smarter and that means looking at sharing resources. Since the meeting, they have been in touch with Burscough Parish Council about sharing facilities in the village and I welcome that."
Fellow Burscough East Conservative Cllr Ruth Melling said: "Residents are worried that as it stands, these proposals will mean officers having less knowledge of the local area and that is why the police must have a presence in Burscough. We need them here on the ground fighting crime, not based miles away in Skelmersdale".
Cllr Ian Grant, Conservative Group Leader, said: "There is a strong sense of feeling about this issue and that was evident by the fact that members of the public stayed until midnight to hear the debate on this important issue. It was appropriate there was cross party support as it means the council as a body can send a very strong message to the Constabulary on this matter.
"This is not simply about policing per se - it is about giving reassurance to residents that this new policing policy is adequate and that residents will continue to live in a safe and well policed Borough."