PCC2012: Richard Davies Supports Local Residents On Nettleham Custody Suite Proposals

Conservative Candidate for Lincolnshire's first Police and Crime Commissioner, Cllr. Richard Davies, has supported local residents in both Nettleham and Lincoln by opposing current plans to move the West Parade Police Station's facilities to a new build at the Police Headquarter's site on Deepdale Lane, Nettleham. Cllr. Davies said:

"Lincolnshire Police have floated the idea of moving Lincoln’s West Parade Police Station and Custody Suite to Nettleham.

"Looking at the current evidence and plans for the relocation of Lincoln City Police Station I do not think that Nettleham is the best place to locate a custody suite. 

"On the broader issue of city wide policing: I believe Lincoln city centre needs a policing presence in the form of a police station, including custody suite – West Parade may not be the best location but we need a comprehensive business case and consultation of all options before a decision is made"

Police Authority Responds to Parish Council's Concern

Cllr. Barry Young, Chairman of Lincolnshire Police Authority, has responded to a letter from Nettleham Parish Council regarding the proposed new Police Station to be built at the Police Headquarters site on Deepdale Lane in the village.  Mr. Young writes:

"We very much appreciated the opportunity which our attendance at your recent Extraordinary Parish  Council meeting gave us to explain our thinking and try to allay some of the very understandable, although not always entirely valid, concerns expressed. 

"I note the resolution passed by the Parish Council after we had left and comment as follows:

1. Lincolnshire Police Authority has specific statutory responsibilities which mean that we simply cannot undertake to defer individual substantive decisions such as this until the arrival of the Commissioner towards the end of November. However, in reality, the "Lincoln Project" of which this is just a part, is still very much in its embryonic stages and I foresee much if not all of the time between now and then being needed for the completion og our current investigations, considerations of appropriate technical reports and further consultation, let alone any entry into the formal planning process if ultimately we decide that it would be appropriate to proceed in any particular way.

1. We have always made it clear that dialogue with the Parish Council will continue throughout as appropriate and we value the important role you play in linking us to the Nettleham community's views.

1. I not that in the meantime the Parish Council is opposed to the current proposals.

"I look forward to further discussion with the Parish Council as matters develop."

Massive Turnout Expected for Public Meeting Tonight

Nettleham Parish Council will be holding an extraordinary meeting tonight at Nettleham Village Hall, Brookfield Avenue commencing at 7:30pm.

The meeting is to consider proposals by Lincolnshire Police and G4S to build a new 'deployment base'/'custody suite' at the Police Headquarters site on Deepdale Lane, Nettleham.

Lincolnshire Police and G4S have been allocated half an hour to make a presentation, this will be followed by a twenty minute question and answer session. Following this residents will have an opportunity to make their views known, a period of forty minutes has been allocated for this. Finally the Parish Council will consider what preliminary position they wish to take pending a formal planning application being presented to West Lindsey District Council.

The meeting is expected to be attended by a large number of local residents, with estimates suggesting a turnout of around 300. Nettleham Village Hall has a capacity of 180, so plans have been made for an overflow area outside where local residents will be able to hear the discussion taking place inside the Hall. At the Village Hall Committee meeting on Monday night plans were put in place to ensure that refreshments would be available and there would be volunteer stewards available to manage car parking. Local residents are urged to make their way to the meeting on foot, where possible, as parking will be exceedingly limited.

The Parish Council's meeting follows on from a two-day exhibition of the plans held at the Old School, Mill Hill earlier in the month. The view that emerged from this consultation was that a significant number had concerns about the proposal.

Tonight will be a further opportunity for the Police to explain in detail how the concerns of local residents can be dealt with. The greatest fear local residents have is that those released will be free to enter the main body of the village. Despite reassurances by senior members of the force that released prisoners would be returned to 'where they came from' the legal basis for this is unclear. Many residents will want a specific reassurance on this particular matter.

Local action group S.O.L.V.E. (Save Our Local Village Environment) have presented a list of fourteen specific, detailed questions which the Parish Council will expect answers to.

Expected to be attending tonight is the Acting Chief Constable Neil Rhodes on behalf of Lincolnshire Police together with a significant portion of the local press.