Nottinghamshire Police inquiry desks could close

The number of Nottinghamshire police stations with public inquiry desks could be cut by more than half.

The force is proposing to keep counter services at 18 out of 42 stations but 12 stations, which officers said were underused, would close.

Officers would move into community buildings in six of the stations and the remaining staff would relocate back to the nearest available station.

The sale of buildings would raise about £880,000, the force said.

It would also save about £720,000 a year in rent and mean everyone in the county is no more than eight miles from a police station, the force added.

'Drain on funding'

Assistant Chief Constable Ian Ackerley said: "In many cases we have police stations and buildings which are old, underused, expensive to maintain and are a drain on funding.

"People simply do not use them in the way they once did. This is largely due to the massive growth in the other more convenient ways the public can get in touch with us."

ACC Ackerley said the money saved could be better-invested in protecting front-line services and jobs.

Nottinghamshire Police is facing a funding shortfall of £10.3m in 2011/2012, following the government's spending review.

The proposals are due to be put before the police authority on 27 July, ahead of a public consultation.