Boris Johnson responds to calls for new South Yorkshire police station

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been asked to back an MP’s campaign for a new police station in a South Yorkshire town.
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Alexander Stafford, who represents the Rother Valley constituency, called for support for a new station in Dinnington during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.

The town’s station closed as an enquiry desk 20 years ago, stopped being used as a police base in 2016 and was sold in 2020.

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In response, Boris Johnson said: “I am sure that he (Mr Stafford) has much support for his campaign for a police station. I hope that a solution can be found.

Rother Valley MP, Alexander StaffordRother Valley MP, Alexander Stafford
Rother Valley MP, Alexander Stafford

“In the meantime I can assure him that there will be the police officers to put in that police station because we are delivering on our commitment to have 20,000 more police over the lifetime of this Parliament.”

South Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Dr Alan Billings, said: “The Prime Minister was asked to get me to re-open the police station at Dinnington, but wisely ducked the question, otherwise he would have said something foolish.

“If Mr Stafford had spoken to either me or to South Yorkshire Police he would have known that the police station closed as an enquiry desk 20 years ago and the building ceased to be used in 2016 and was sold in 2020.

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“The money from its sale – £155,000 – and the money we save each year because it no longer has to be maintained – £13,999 – will contribute towards getting more officers into the neighbourhood team in Dinnington and other parts of the Rotherham district.

“Mr Stafford also glosses over the fact that for 10 years since 2010 his Conservative government cut police numbers year on year – by 20,000 nationally and 500 in South Yorkshire.

“The local neighbourhood policing team are active within Dinnington and the dedicated police officer and PCSO are regularly out on patrol and work closely with the public and partner organisations to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in the area. Until Covid they had a regular presence within the Resource Centre where residents were able to drop in a raise issues.

“I hope to meet with the town council again shortly to discuss how we can do more to help the town in the coming months.”

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