BASILDON Council's leader has demanded Essex Police reverse its decision to close the front desk of the local police station, calling the move "bad for policing and bad for the community".

Cllr Gavin Callaghan hit out at the force, after its announcement that, from July 11, the front counters at police stations in Basildon, Braintree, Clacton, and Harlow will close, along with two front desks in Saffron Walden and Maldon, which are located in council buildings. 

The Unison union has also raised concerns about the move, which will see nine staff made redundant, saying it was "another worrying blow for visible policing in Essex."

Essex Police says the police stations will remain open and that by closing the front desks, it could "prioritise visible neighbourhood policing".

Cllr Callaghan said: "I've written to the chief constable demanding he reverses the decision to close the front desk at Basildon Police Station. This is a bad call.

"People want to see a visible police presence, not more retreat behind closed doors. Essex Police has had an extra £27.1million from the Government this year. So why can't they make the sums add up?

"This isn't proper policing. It's Tory cuts on steroids. It will backfire. And local people will pay the price. We need more boots on the ground, not fewer places to report crime." 

Unison eastern regional organiser Tom Rhodes added: "These enquiry points are a vital link between the public and the police, where concerned residents can go when they need to speak to the law. This isn't just about nine jobs going, this is about the loss of a known, local point for members of the public to contact the police. Essex Police needs to reconsider these cuts, commit to open, accessible policing and properly engage with staff and the public before going ahead with any more ill-conceived plans like this."

The move comes in the wake of fears over police funding. Earlier this year, the force was almost on the verge of losing all 99 of its police community support officers (PCSOs) before extra funding was promised by the government. However, this wasn't enough to stop over 60 civilian staff redundancies.