Over the last year there’s been significant news in terms of the now decaying Exmouth Police Station. Following a massive police consultation, it’s was announced by Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez and East Devon MP Simon Jupp that a new police station, with an open front desk to allow direct access to the public would be built.
Whatever our disagreements, this is absolutely fantastic news.
I was therefore, somewhat concerned this week to learn of another consultation asking if which police stations should be considered next for front desk opening. Had Exmouth already lost the prize awarded not six months previously?
After some digging, it appears not. Plans for a new police station are going ahead as I write this. And those plans are to include an accessible front desk with direct access to police services.
But this process can take years, especially given the area surrounding the police station site is a historic conservation area. Planning for the houses surrounding it which will help pay for the project complicate things further. So I have a request - could we all fill in the new consultation and ‘vote Exmouth’. That way the Devon and Cornwall Police will be aware that we need an open front desk service now, not in a few years when a new police station opens. The old station has (or had) the facilities to offer this as, like most police stations, it used to have one.
While it’s sad we have to go through some Strictly style vote for something so important, it’s important that we let DCP know we’re desperate for this given we’re known as ‘the largest town in Devon’.
Here’s the link:
Please, vote Exmouth and get frontline services back to our town!
