Police to share North Somerset council offices in Clevedon

The police station within the Castlewood offices in Clevedon will open for business on 2 January

Police in North Somerset are joining forces with the council to share accommodation at two locations to improve services and cut costs.

In Clevedon the Queens Road police station will shut later this month and re-open at North Somerset Council's HQ on the Tickenham Road.

In Weston-super-Mare the inquiry office will relocate to the newly-refurbished town hall.

Both will open for business from 2 January 2013.

Ch Supt Julian Moss said the force had been looking at ways to improve its services despite financial challenges.

"This is an opportunity we could not miss," he added.

Council leader Nigel Ashton said the move made financial and operational sense for both operations.

The Conservative-led local authority moved into the former Clerical Medical building at Castlewood on the outskirts of the town two years ago.

Speaking then, the council said the £12.6m purchase would save money as it could shut a number of smaller offices around the county and relocate the staff to its Weston-super-Mare and Clevedon headquarters.