Warwickshire Police to sell Leek Wootton HQ
Warwickshire Police is to sell its Leek Wootton headquarters in an effort to save money.
Warwickshire Police is to sell its Leek Wootton headquarters in an effort to save money.
Chief Constable Keith Bristow said he expects the police authority to sell the iconic headquarters site and he hopes senior management will move into a justice centre in Leamington Spa which opened last summer and combines a police station, courts and criminal justice agencies.
The force needs to make savings of around £22 million and will also move front desk services from several other police stations to libraries and council offices.
Mr Bristow said: Some of our current estate will not be fit for purpose to deliver our new policing model and some of our properties within our current estate are very costly to run and maintain. Ultimately, less buildings and buildings that are more efficient to operate and maintain will ensure more resources available to maximise protection.
The force is also asking tax-payers through an online survey how much they would be willing to pay towards policing through a council tax increase.
An average property in Warwickshire currently pays £174.10 towards the police precept per year and Warwickshire Police Authority has said that an increase of £5 would amount to £129,000 extra money per year.
The Government has offered to fund a precept increase of up to 2.5 per cent, but Warwickshire Police Authority said that this would still leave them with a £9.5 million funding gap.
Authority chairman Ian Francis said the force had done a fantastic job in its attempt to make over £13 million of savings, from a budget of £100 million.
He said: However, the challenge presented by the Governments financial settlement for the police means that the additional savings we will be required to find will inevitably impact on services to the public.
Consequently, we consider that we must consult the public to see whether people are prepared to pay more council tax to avoid service reductions.
The authority will meet on February 23 to consider the survey results as it sets its budget for 2011/12.
The authority said that it does not currently favour one council tax rise level above another.
Warwickshire Police Authority has also suggested that it could set up a strategic alliance with West Mercia Police to help achieve savings. It also announced in September that it was looking at collaborating with West Midlands Polices Coventry local policing unit in the future.