Police to share station with Barnoldswick ambulance crews (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Police to share station with Barnoldswick ambulance crews

1:00pm Tuesday 10th April 2012 in Barrowford By Peter Magill, Chief reporter

PLANS for a merger of West Craven’s ambulance station with its police headquarters have been given the go-ahead.

Paramedic chiefs say the proposals, which will see the closure of the ambulance station in Brogden View, Barnoldswick, will save the North West service around £12,000 per year.

And once empty the building could be sold for around £190,000, the North West Ambulance Service board has been told.

Initial talks were held with the county’s fire brigade, over the possibility of sharing their Wellhouse Road base in Barnoldswick.

But early in the discussions, fire service bosses withdrew, leaving the ambulance and police services to agree a 15-year lease deal for the Fernlea Avenue constabulary building.

Finance director Chris Baker said: “The police station accommodation will provide the trust with better welfare facilities, is functionally suitable and provides a better working environment with more up-to-date facilities than the current ambulance station.”

Before paramedics can move in, an initial £110,000 will need to be spent on the police station building to provide a manager’s office, locker room, mess room and storage facilities.

The move, approved by the board, will also save NWAS from spending another £20,000 on an existing maintenance backlog.

Across the North West the ambulance trust has been looking to make considerable savings on its estates costs.

It is also proposing to close Stretford and Wardle ambulance stations and merge the likes of Formby and Newton-le-Willows with other emergency service bases.

Plans to merge Ramsbottom’s ambulance station with either the police or fire stations have been put on the back burner.