Police cut front desk opening hours in Melksham

MELKSHAM Police Station now closes its front desk at 5.30pm and will not open over the weekend, after opening hours were changed across the county in a move intended to save Wiltshire Police over £200,000. 

The station on Hampton Park West is now open from 8.30am to 5.30pm from Monday to Friday; it was previously open until 8pm on weekdays and also opened at weekends.

The move came as Wiltshire Police changed the opening times of public desks across the county  as part of its efforts to reduce costs by £10million over the next three years. The force says that the changes match public demand for services, and that eight out of ten visits to front counters are made during normal office hours.

Wiltshire’s police and crime commissioner, Angus Macpherson said, “In my Police and Crime Plan I promised that we would invest in mobile technology to enable officers to spend most of their time out and about and visible in their communities rather than tied to a computer in the police station. That technology is now being rolled out.

“To have five enquiry offices open for business during normal office hours and three of those open on Saturday mornings as well, seems to me to be a good service at a time of austerity for those people wishing to have face-to-face contact.

“We are also catering for people who want to use their phones to call us, and those with smart phones or tablets who want to contact us online.”

The overhaul, which is expected to save the force £218,000 per year, has also seen opening hours changed in  Trowbridge, Chippenham, Marlborough, Salisbury and Swindon.

People who want to contact Wiltshire Police can, at any time, ring 999 in an emergency, 101 for non-emergencies, or for some services visit www.       wiltshire.police.uk. There is also a yellow phone at Melksham enquiry office, where you can make a free call directly to the crime and communications centre.