Commons Sense

House of Commons · General Debate

Solihull Police Station: Proposed Closure

11 January 2022 · 7 other contributors

Opened by Julian Knight Con Solihull

Policing & Resources

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Julian Knight raised concerns about solihull police station: proposed closure in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.

Key points

  • Jack Dromey was tributed at the start of the debate.
  • The Labour PCC's decision to close stations was criticised despite an increase in funding and recruitment.
  • Alternatives such as public contact offices were deemed inadequate by the speaker.
  • The speaker stressed the need for permanent policing presence in Solihull.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Julian Knight Con Solihull

Opened by paying tribute to Jack Dromey, emphasised the high precept increase for West Midlands police (£13.7 million from Solihull), criticised the Labour PCC's decision to close stations despite increased funding and recruitment of new officers, highlighted the lack of consultation and proposed alternatives like public contact offices which he deemed inadequate. He stressed the need for permanent policing in Solihull and called on the PCC to prove his commitment by not closing police stations.

Other contributors (7)
  • Saqib Bhatti Con Meriden

    Supported Julian Knight's stance, pointed out that residents in both north and south of his constituency deserve adequate policing resources. He criticised the political decision to undermine safety.

  • Shaun Bailey Labour Co-operative Hockley

    Paid tribute to Julian Knight for securing the debate, highlighted similar issues in Wednesbury, Oldbury and Tipton where they are losing all three police stations. Emphasised the importance of consultation.

  • Suzanne Webb Con Stourbridge

    Agreed that the current PCC is failing constituents by closing police stations without reopening them as promised, specifically mentioned Stourbridge which was closed and not reopened despite promises.

  • Andrew Mitchell Con Sutton Coldfield

    Stressed the closure of Sutton Coldfield's main police station, praised local leaders for their efforts in condemning the decision. Emphasised the need for a proper police hub rather than public contact offices.

  • Mike Wood Con Kingswinford

    Commented on previous PCC decisions to close stations without delivering promised alternatives, questioned the adequacy of proposed replacements in Brierley Hill.

  • Kit Malthouse Con North West Hampshire

    I offer condolences to the family of Jack Dromey and thank Julian Knight for securing this debate. The Government has demonstrated commitment to supporting police with an increase in funding up to £16.9 billion for 2022-23, including a significant uplift for West Midlands police. Local accountability is vital as operational decisions are made by chief constables and directly elected police and crime commissioners based on local knowledge. I have addressed three points raised by Julian Knight: funding, the financial situation of the west midlands PCC, and listening to local people. The funding formula does not discriminate, but past decisions may have led to current issues. Local decision-making must be balanced with public accountability.

  • Andrew Mitchell Con Sutton Coldfield

    Everyone in Sutton Coldfield is against the proposals for West Midlands police stations, and only two Labour Birmingham city councillors support them. This highlights the need for local representatives to listen to their constituents' concerns.

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