AN MP has hit out at the decision to close a police station front counter.

Andrew Stephenson, who represents Pendle, believes the closure of Barnoldswick Police Station front counter is ‘unacceptable’. It closed yesterday.

It means that the nearest public enquiry desk is at Nelson Police Station, which is seven miles away.

Mr Stephenson said: “I am upset about the closure and I have been for a number of years.

“Barnoldswick is really booming as we have just got the £15m expansion at Rolls Royce, and then Silentnight is a top business in the area.

“There is a need for local police to have a front counter. This decision shows a total disregard for local people.

“Previously, a few years ago when it was talked about it closing, we discussed other options like sharing with the ambulance station, but we think there could be other ways of keeping the police front counter elsewhere.

“The station is in the centre of town and everyone knows where it is, and now they will have to call a number or travel to Nelson.

“It is an unacceptable decision.”

Clive Grunshaw, Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “I want to reiterate that this decision will not change the way areas are policed.

“Local policing teams will still be based in and work in these communities.

“This was not an easy decision to make but years of shrinking budgets have meant Lancashire Constabulary has had to make savings of over £72 million since 2010, with an estimated £17 million in further savings still to find.

“The front counters which are closing serve as few as three members of the public a day, but we will be able to make savings of around £1.5m.

“People have been voting with their feet for some time and we have to look at using our resources to meet the demand which is coming into the contact centre and moving online.

“While closing front counters is not something we want to do, this is part of the ongoing work to meet the funding gap which we continue to manage, with the Government again failing to provide any extra money for policing in Lancashire in their latest funding announcement.”

Clitheroe, Colne and Waterfoot police stations are among others whose other front counters will close on March 29.