FORTY people turned out to a town council meeting to hear the area’s police chief’s plans for Darwen police station.

Chief Superintendent Bob Eastwood told councillors and the public at Darwen Town Council’s meeting that use of the front counter at the station was under review in light of the force having to make £42million cuts over the next four years.

He assured the meeting there were no plans to close the station, but closing the desk to the public would save around £75,000 per year.

He said: “I am not closing the station, only consulting on the front desk. The vast majority of people make contact via phone or email or by coming into the town hall to speak to neighbourhood officers.

The demand is very low.

“If I kept the desk open at Darwen, I would probably have to take officers off the beat instead.”

He added: “I am looking at whether we can move the shared neighbourhood policing team from the town hall into the station.”