Chief constable and PCC respond to frenzied media speculation over future of police station

The West Midlands Police chief constable was responding to media coverage regarding the future of Tipton police station.

The station was originally listed for closure in 2021 as part of a £5 million cost-cutting plan under the former West Midlands police and crime commissioner (PCC) David Jamieson’s estates programme.

While it remains fully open following the community campaign from concerned residents worried about the loss of a local police station, media reports suggest it is still under threat of closure in autumn 2025 with no promises from current Labour PCC Simon Foster to keep it open.

Conservative MP Shaun Bailey claimed to have “saved” the station after winning the support of the Government for an all-new 999 response unit, which would include a new home for 24 officers to be stationed at the Upper Church Lane headquarters.

And the West Bromwich West MP blamed Labour for “decimating community policing” in the West Midlands despite record funding.

Mr Foster accused Mr Bailey of issuing “inaccurate and misleading statements” and blamed “ill-advised, misconceived and poor decision-making” on the part of the MP’s own government for leaving Tipton police station at risk of closure.

In a statement, Mr Guildford said: “I am aware of recent media coverage regarding Tipton police station and wanted to provide a little operational context to help ensure that local people know what’s happening, now and in the future, as there has been much speculation.

“As chief constable, I provide operational advice and force requirements on strategic estate issues to the PCC who, in law, owns the estate and makes decisions on both purchases and sales.

“Upon becoming chief constable last December I read the previous estate decisions made by the former chief constable and PCC in the light of a change I wanted to make in how the force operates. Tipton police station has been on the disposals list for some considerable time.

“As part of my approach operationally, my ambition is to increase our local footprint wherever practicable in support of our new local policing model. This helps to create a much closer operating environment for all of our local officers across response, neighbourhoods and investigations to provide a better service to communities.

“All of this has to be carefully balanced with the force budget and forward projections. Whilst the force has already made multi-million pound efficiencies this year, we still have a £27 million gap in funding which we need to address.”

Mr Guildford added: “I say this phrase to all my senior officers and to the public: ‘I believe in less square feet and more on the beat’. Police officers and staff make a difference across our communities. We are a people business and our people make a difference to the lives of those we serve. I will always prioritise their numbers over the number of bricks we need.

“Against this simple point I balance our visibility, operating model, costs, timings and alternative options.

“I am a big believer in local policing commanders being more involved in helping shape the service we provide to communities, which is why we have recently seen more officers based in Tipton.

“I fully support this as it will enable me to take an operational view, informed by the local commander who will represent local views, about the future of Tipton police station. This will guide the advice I provide to the PCC about whether we should consider alternatives to its planned disposal in 2025.”

He concluded: “In summary, it’s correct to say that while Tipton police station is on the disposal list, as it was previously deemed surplus to our operational requirements, it remains open and fully operational now which I think is a positive development.

“I am very clear that any final operational decision will be taken in due course when I have considered and weighed all of the above before advising the PCC accordingly.”

In his own statement regarding reports over the future of Tipton police station, Mr Foster said: “The MP for West Bromwich West is of course entitled to his own opinion. He is not entitled to his own facts. By issuing inaccurate and misleading statements, he is doing both the people he represents and his role as an MP, a grave disservice.

“Following a decade of reckless cuts, imposed by his own government, on police forces up and down the country, well over 600 police stations have been forced to close. These reckless cuts were all supported by, voted for and implemented by the MP’s own government.

“In February 2018, over five years ago, a decision was made by the then chief constable, based on his impartial and independent assessment, that Tipton police station was ‘surplus estate’, within the West Midlands Police estates programme.

“We lost 2,221 police officers, many hundreds of essential police staff, including up to 400 PCSOs. As a consequence of the MP’s own government’s actions, community policing was dismantled. The estates programme was part of a strategy to prevent the loss of even more police officers.

“As a consequence of ill-advised, misconceived and poor decision making on the part of the MP’s own government, Tipton police station remains at risk of closure in autumn 2025. Until then, the police station remains open and I will keep the police estate under constant review.

“In 2023, West Midlands Police was allocated the fifth worst police grant settlement in the country, was forced to make cuts of £28 million this year and faces a further £28 million of cuts next year, because the Government has failed to deliver fair funding for the West Midlands.

“If the MP genuinely wants to save Tipton police station, I would urge him to join my campaign to reform his own government’s deeply flawed police funding formula, that costs West Midlands Police £40 million a year, so as to ensure fair funding for West Midlands Police.”