James was joined today by Belle Vale Councillor Simon Phipps and Halesowen North campaigner Mitchell Bolton, as they paid a visit to the offices of Simon Foster, West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC), to hand in a petition against proposals to close Halesowen Police Station.
Over 600 people living in or near to Halesowen signed James's online petition between November 2021 and January 2022, and this was submitted along with a petition ran on the same issue by Halesowen’s Conservative Councillors which generated over 800 signatures.
Plans unveiled by West Midlands Police last Autumn outlined proposals to close the stations in Brierley Hill and Halesowen and build a new ‘super station’ in Dudley, that would house the neighbourhood teams and the forces to respond to 999 calls. Similar proposals were also mooted by the previous PCC, David Jamieson, in which James led the fight back to ensure that Halesowen maintained a physical Police presence in the town.
“Having campaigned in previous years against the closure of Halesowen Police Station, I was disappointed to see that another PCC has come forward again with plans to close it and relocate resources nearly six miles away", said James. "Our force is benefitting from nearly £40m in extra funding this year, as well as extra officers through the Government’s major recruitment drive, and I do not believe there is a case to be made for the closure of our station.
“Over the past year I’ve working with Police, Councillors and local residents in Halesowen on a number of issues, including speeding on Long Lane, anti-social behaviour in and around Hawne Park, a rise in burglaries and car crime on the Abbeyfields Estate and issues with car cruising along the A456. The local knowledge of Police Officers, and their ability to respond to major incidents quickly, is key to reassuring residents that their communities are safe. I hope that the PCC will take note of local opinion and reconsider these proposals.”
Belle Vale Councillor Simon Phillips said “Both this Police and Crime Commissioner and the previous one have had their priorities for local policing all wrong. West Midlands Police have spent vast sums on prime real estate in city-centre Birmingham whilst closing community police stations and moving police further away from the areas they serve.
“It's not too late for him to change course, and recognise the need to have police officers based in the area they protect. The vast majority of residents in Halesowen will be waiting to see if he will be brave enough to admit that he has this wrong.”
Halesowen North campaigner Mitchell Bolton added, “A lot of residents in Halesowen North have expressed concerns with speeding issues on Long Lane, which cause a danger to other drivers, parked vehicles and pedestrians. Only by having a Police presence in Halesowen where officers have good local knowledge can we really get on top of these issues.
“I’m grateful that so many people have taken the time make their voices heard, and I hope the PCC will reconsider his decision to close Halesowen Police Station.”
