Bexhill police station closure rumour quashed

The Observer was contacted by several anonymous sources this week, alleging that all of the town’s police officers and PCSOs were due to be transferred to Hastings and Battle stations permanently next month.

One source said: “This means that in a town of approximately 50,000 people, many of whom are elderly, Bexhill will have a police station with no police officers nor PCSOs, which would be catastrophic for the town.”

Another source believed the station was going to lose all of its officers within the next two weeks, and said: “It’s ridiculous.”

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “There are no plans to close Bexhill police station currently.

“As part of the wider estates programme, the Police and Crime Commissioner will consider sharing space with partners, whether that be the police station or a partner’s space, however any potential change is at least 12 to 18 months away.

“No existing public policing presence will be removed until a suitable alternative is provided in the local area.”

Earlier this month, the Observer reported that reserves of £17m are set to be used to ‘smooth the guide path’ for £26m of cuts due to be made to police budgets over the next four years.

Sussex Police has already had to make £76m of reductions since 2010, and has to find another £26.5m up to 2020/21.

Last month, Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, Katy Bourne, said at her Listen Live: Partners Together event at Sussex Coast College in Hastings, that partners and other organisations needed to work together and smarter in order to get the most out of public funds in times where there is less money available.