Walton Police Station-sold down the river?

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“Retaining old Police buildings costs the Force 2.4 million pounds a year  making the average visit 82 pounds – the equivalent of three hours of an officer’s time”

This statement is taken from the Surrey Police website and has been quoted by Police Officers at Public meetings and  used in questionnaires where people have been asked whether they want to retain old Police buildings or have up to 200 more Officers on the beat.

The Walton Society has obtained details of this figure under a Freedom of Information request, and has found that  £30 of this sum is due to Capital borrowing costs although Surrey Police own the Police stations earmarked for sale. £37.50 is for annual running costs and Estate management, though this seems to cover the entire running costs of the station and not just the front desk. £11 is Staffing costs, and £3.50 IT allowances both of which have  nothing to do with the age of the building and will still apply wherever the Police are based.

We are very unhappy with the manner in which the police have “consulted” the Public over changes which could see the loss of the Police station, currently  used as an operations base 24/7, the removal of the CCTV suite to another Borough and the nearest front desk at Esher. Walton is a town with a population that is growing in size and density. We feel that there is a need for the Police Station to be retained ; a view reinforced by the fact that the recently released crime figures show an upward trend for the area. We have written to the Chief Constable asking for an explanation of the figures given above and to give us details of how Walton is to be policed in the future.  We await a reply.