Uppermill Police Station
Greater Manchester Police have announced that the public enquiry counter at Saddleworth Police Station will be closing on 5 April 2012. It joins Failsworth and Royton Police Stations, which were closed on 13 February 2012.
This is due to a review which is being undertaken by the Greater Manchester Police Authority (GMPA) and Greater Manchester Police (GMP) to establish the cost-effectiveness of the 55 public enquiry counters across Greater Manchester. The Force has to make £134million of savings by 2015.
Part of the review has included research on how the public enquiry counters are being used. Only eight people a day use the front desk at Saddleworth and just 12 people using the front desks at Failsworth and Royton each day. This, according to GMP, makes the enquiry counters very expensive to run compared to Oldham Police Station which receives 153 visitors a day and Chadderton Police Station which has 28 visitors a day.
Chief Superintendent Tim Forber said: “The closure of the front enquiry counter will not impact on policing in Oldham and neighbourhood policing remains at the heart of what we do. What we have to do is provide the very best access to our services in a way that is fit for the future and consider the current financial situation.
“We will continue to provide contact locally with officers at neighbourhood meetings and surgeries and getting in touch by telephone, email or through social networks. Our customer service desk provides an enhanced appointment system allowing us to see people in their own home at a time convenient to them.
“If residents need to attend a police station then they can attend either Oldham Police Station on Barn Street, OL1 1LR which is open 8am-11pm every day, or Chadderton Police Station at Broadway, OL2 6RB which is open 8am-6pm Monday to Saturday.”
The local Neighbourhood Policing Teams are available to listen to your concerns and you can contact them on the following: Saddleworth and Lees Neighbourhood Policing Team (covering Saddleworth North, Saddleworth South and Saddleworth West and Lees) on 0161 856 4524 or saddleworthandlees.npt@gmp.
