Great Aycliffe Residents Association are currently conducting a survey on Policing in the town and have asked the simple question whether or not people want a Police Station in the Town Centre.

Without exception every one of over 1000 forms returned have said “Yes”. The Police Authority met last Tuesday and on Wednesday the Chairman informed the Town Council they were in negotiation to share the town’s Fire Station premises to provide a Police Office.

Whilst this was welcomed as a positive step forward at the Public Meeting called by GARA last Thursday many in the audience were not satisfied and wanted a proper Police Station in the Town Centre as provided elsewhere in other large towns in the County.

It is not clear what type of service would eventually be provided at the Fire Station, although the Police Authority Chairman assured the Town Council that it would be staffed and when no one was around a telephone would be available to talk to a Police Officer at one of the local HQ’s which could be on Aycliffe Business Park or in Bishop Auckland.

This was unacceptable to people at the meeting who said if they wanted to talk to an officer on the phone they would use their own mobile phone. What is required is a face to face contact with the police.

GARA have passed these opinions to the Police Authority Chairman and hopefully it will shape his committee’s thinking and negotiations in time for the next GARA Public Meeting to which he is invited on 20th September.

Whilst the latest proposals show the Police Authority is listening to what the people want and is a step in the right direction, it will not satisfy the residents of Newton Aycliffe who want nothing less than a real Police Station in the centre of town.

Newton News contacted Peter Thompson the Police Authority Chairman who made the following reply:

“There appears to be a lack of overall understanding. The front counter facility being negotiated for the Town Centre, in conjunction with the Fire & Rescue Service, would be no different to that available at other police stations. The other support police services traditionally connected to Police Stations would continue to be provided at the Parsons Court premises”.

Mr Thompson added that he had been extremely pleased with the support to the proposals which he outlined at the Great Aycliffe Town Council meeting on Tuesday 17th July.”