Pendle News Room

The Council believes that the closures would have a significant impact on residents’ confidence in the police service, particularly in these towns.

Councillor Mohammed Iqbal, Leader of Pendle Council, and Councillor David Whipp, Chairman of Pendle Community Safety Partnership, discussed their concerns with Clive Grunshaw.

Councillor Iqbal said: “Following changes to policing in recent years, including the reduction in police presence/visibility, the proposals to close the front counters would compound local feelings that the police are gradually withdrawing from these local areas.

“We sought assurances that this is not the case and to understand the future of both police presence and activity in Pendle.”

In the absence of counter staff the Council has requested that the police consider using volunteers as a first point of contact for those who need a face to face service.

And if there are no counter staff or volunteers, the Council has requested that appropriate IT and/or telephones are provided to allow residents who don’t have these facilities to contact the police directly.

Councillor David Whipp, Chairman of Pendle Community Safety Partnership, added: “As well as the front counter provision we took the opportunity to raise a number of issues which we know our residents feel strongly about.

“We’ve requested the police and crime commissioner’s support on lobbying the government to consider measures which would make it difficult for young drivers to hire high performance vehicles.

“All too often cars are speeding dangerously along the main roads, particularly in Nelson and Brierfield.

“We’ve also raised the issue of the use of fireworks during between 11pm and 7am, often in an unsafe manner.”