The Police and Crime Commissioner has approved plans that will ensure every part of the West Midlands maintains a public contact office where people can report crimes and speak directly to the police.
The plans are the Chief Constable’s assessment of what West Midlands Police needs in order to provide an efficient and effective operational police service. The plans will also ensure that neighbourhood police officers continue to be based in local communities.
The strategy will deliver £5 million of savings each year, modernise buildings, see police officers co-locate with other public bodies, such as the fire service and protect essential police officer numbers.
Some of the highlights include rebuilt and refurbished police stations in Wolverhampton, Coventry, Erdington and Stechford. A brand new custody block is earmarked for Coventry and a new police HQ in Dudley.
The Police and Crime Commissioner’s approval of the force’s plans means that work can progress to modernise the estate. The PCC must still sign-off individual projects in the estates strategy before they can proceed.
Dedicated officers who respond to calls for help from the public, such as 999, will now work from eight sites across the West Midlands, including, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Bournville Lane, Coventry Central, Chelmsley Wood, Park Lane, Stechford and Bloxwich.
As well as saving £5 million a year in running costs, the ageing police estate also requires £24 million of repairs. This project will eliminate those costs. The project will also help make West Midlands Police’s estate greener and more sustainable too.
The PCC has accepted the Chief Constable’s recommendations, but has asked for every effort to be made to ensure the buildings are used for good causes in future. Safeguards have been put in place to ensure that before any buildings are sold the local policing presence is guaranteed and social value from the sale has been properly explored too.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster, said: “The Chief Constable has put forward a set of proposals based on his impartial assessment of the estate he requires to effectively and efficiently police the West Midlands.
“The plans he has put forward will maintain the current number of publicly accessible front desks, keep local officers based in their communities and modernise the estate to make it fit for a 21st century police force.
“These plans will save money too, which will be re-invested in protecting essential police officer numbers to keep people and their families safe and secure. 100 officer posts a year rely on the £5 million savings from the estates programme. Without those savings officer numbers will fall further.
“Since 2010 West Midlands Police has lost £175 million, and even after recent and planned increases in officer numbers, we will still be missing 1,000 officers compared to a decade ago. I will protect police officer numbers, whilst calling on the government to return our 1,000 missing officers and provide a fair funding deal for the West Midlands.”
Chief Constable Sir David Thompson said:
“We’ve been through significant change over the last few years as we have reviewed and developed the force estate and buildings to become more flexible, sustainable and appropriate for a modern policing service.
“To ensure we are fit for the future and are making the best use of our resources it is right to continually review our plans. We are pleased the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner has accepted our proposals.
“We will continue to work in partnership to ensure future estate changes are based on the operational and financial needs of our force to enable us to become more efficient and effective at preventing crime and protecting the public.”
Some of the sites below are labelled as ‘under review’. This means that there is currently no proposed date for moving into co-located accommodation, refurbishment or disposal of the building. This is often because we are waiting for decisions from other local or national organisations and we will update the public as soon as possible.
Birmingham East
| Site | Proposed outcome | Details | Projected delivery date (not before) |
| Acocks Green | Under review | Neighbourhood Teams will be accommodated locally – feasibility of refurbishing site will be undertaken | Under review; dates tbc |
| Balsall Heath | Disposal | Neighbourhood Team will relocate locally | Autumn 2022 |
| Castle Vale | Retain | No Change – Neighbourhood Teams co-located in partner building | |
| Kings Heath | Under review | Under Review | Under review |
| Moseley | Retain | Refurbishment – will accommodate Neighbourhood Teams on completion | Summer 2022 |
| Shard End | Disposal | Neighbourhood Team will co-locate locally | Summer 2024 |
| Sparkhill | Disposal | Neighbourhood Team will co-locate locally Also holds museum artefacts to be transferred to lock-up museum | Autumn 2022 |
| Stechford | Retain | Refurbishment Public Contact Office, Neighbourhood Teams and response will remain on-site, as well as multiple corporate functions. | Spring 2024 |
| Sutton Coldfield | Disposal | Neighbourhood Teams and Public Contact Office will co-locate locally; Response will operate from the 8-hubs. | Winter 2025 |
| Erdington | Retain | Rebuild Neighbourhood Teams will remain on-site | Summer 2025 |
| Kingstanding | Disposal | Neighbourhood Team will co-locate locally | Winter 2022 |
Birmingham West
| Site | Proposed outcome | Details | Projected delivery date (not before) |
| Billesley WMFRS | Retain | Neighbourhood Team co-located with Fire Service | |
| Bournville Lane | Retain | Re-build to deliver a smaller site but still with multiple teams inc. Neighbourhood Teams and Public Contact Office | Summer 2025 |
| Broadway School | Retain | No Change – Neighbourhood Team co-located | |
| Edgbaston | Retain | Refurbishment will house corporate functions from Ladywood | Autumn 2022 |
| Harborne | Disposal | Neighbourhood Team will co-locate locally; All other teams will relocate within WMP estate | Summer 2025 |
| Kings Norton WMFRS | Retain | Neighbourhood Team co-located with Fire Service | |
| Northfield WMFRS | Retain | Neighbourhood Team co-located with Fire Service | |
| Quinton | Disposal | Building is currently vacant | Spring 2022 |
| Aston (Queens Rd) | Under Review | Under review | Under review |
| Central Custody | Retain | Recent New-build | |
| Central Lock-Up (Museum) | Retain | Refurbishment | Spring 2022 |
| Digbeth | Disposal | Neighbourhood Team will re-locate/co-locate locally; All other teams will relocate within WMP estate | Summer 2025 |
| Handsworth | Disposal | Neighbourhood Team will co-locate locally; All other teams will relocate within WMP estate | Spring 2024 |
| Nechells | Disposal | Neighbourhood Team will co-locate locally | Autumn 2023 |
| Newtown | Retain | Refurbishment | Summer 2023 |
| Steelhouse Lane | Disposal | Teams will re-locate within WMP estate | Summer 2025 |
| Summerfield | Retain | Undergoing Refurbishment | Winter 2021 |
Coventry
| Site | Proposed outcome | Details | Projected delivery date (not before) |
| Bell Green | Under Review | Neighbourhood Team will remain local however, current leased provision may be subject to local shopping centre redevelopment | Dates tbc |
| Canley | Disposal | Neighbourhood Team will re-locate to new custody block | Autumn 2025 |
| Coventry Central (L. Park St.) | Retain | Rebuild & Disposal of excess land; Smaller site but still with multiple teams inc. Neighbourhood Teams. Response and Public Contact Office will remain here. | Winter 2025 |
| Foleshill | Potential re-build | Neighbourhood Team will remain local either in new-build or partnership co-location | Winter 2025 |
| Willenhall | Under Review | Under review | Under review |
| Eastern Custody | New-build | New Build Custody Block, Neighbourhood Team base and office accommodation for corporate functions | Spring 2024 |
Dudley
| Site | Proposed outcome | Details | Projected delivery date (not before) |
| Brierley Hill | Disposal | To be replaced by new Dudley NPU HQ; Neighbourhood Teams will co-locate locally | Autumn 2024 |
| New NPU HQ (Dudley) | New-build | New Build to include Neighbourhood Team, Public Contact Office and Force Response | Spring 2023 |
| Dudley WMFRS (Sedgley) | Retain | Neighbourhood Team co-located with Fire Service | |
| Dudley St James’ Road | Disposal | Neighbourhood Teams will move to new NPU HQ nearby | Autumn 2024 |
| Halesowen | Disposal | Neighbourhood Team will co-locate locally; Other teams will relocate within the WMP estate | Spring 2025 |
Sandwell
| Site | Proposed outcome | Details | Projected delivery date (not before) |
| Haden Cross WMFRS | Retain | Neighbourhood Teams co-located with Fire Service | |
| Oldbury | Disposal | Neighbourhood Team will co-locate locally Forensic Services will relocate | Summer 2024 |
| Smethwick | Disposal | Neighbourhood Team will co-locate locally | Spring 2025 |
| Tipton | Disposal | Neighbourhood Team will co-locate locally | Autumn 2025 |
| Wednesbury | Disposal | Neighbourhood Team will co-locate locally | Summer 2023 |
| West Bromwich | Retain | Refurbishment Multiple corporate functions, Public Contact Office and Neighbourhood Teams. Response will operate from the 8-hubs | Winter 2023 |
| Western Custody | Retain | Recent New-build | |
| Windmill House | Disposal | Organisational Learning requirements will define | TBC |
Solihull
| Site | Proposed outcome | Details | Projected delivery date (not before) |
| Chelmsley Wood | Retain | Refurbishment Multiple functions including Response and Neighbourhood Teams | Summer 2024 |
| Solihull | Disposal | Neighbourhood Teams and Public Contact Office will co-locate locally | Autumn 2025 |
| Winchcombe Road | Retain | Recently Refurbished |
Walsall
| Site | Proposed outcome | Details | Projected delivery date (not before) |
| Aldridge | Disposal | Neighbourhood Teams will co-locate locally | Winter 2022 |
| Bloxwich | Retain | Recently Refurbished Multiple corporate functions, including Response, Public Contact Office and Neighbourhood Teams | |
| Walsall Civic Centre | Retain | Neighbourhood Teams co-located in Partnership Building | |
| Willenhall Walsall | Disposal | Neighbourhood Teams will co-locate locally | Winter 2022 |
Wolverhampton
| Site | Proposed outcome | Details | Projected delivery date (not before) |
| Bilston | Retain | Undergoing Refurbishment; Multiple corporate functions and Neighbourhood Teams | Winter 2021 |
| Low Hill | Retain | Undergoing Refurbishment (Neighbourhood Teams) | Winter 2021 |
| Pennwood Court | Retain | Neighbourhood Team co-located in Partnership Building | |
| Wednesfield | Disposal | Neighbourhood Teams will co-locate locally | Autumn 2025 |
| Wolverhampton Central | Retain | Refurbishment; Multiple corporate functions, including Response, Public Contact Office and Neighbourhood Teams | Winter 2024 |
Corporate
| Site | Proposed outcome | Details | Projected delivery date (not before) |
| Bradford Street | Retain | Re-build; Numerous functions to be accommodated | TBC |
| CMPG Perry Barr | Retain | No Change | |
| Balsall Common Dog Training | Retain | Refurbishment | TBC |
| Ladywood | Disposal | Teams will relocate to Edgbaston | Winter 2025 |
| Lloyd House | Retain | No Change (Multiple corporate functions, Neighbourhood Teams and B’Ham West NPU HQ, Public Contact Office) | |
| Logistics Centre | Retain | No Change (Multiple corporate functions) | |
| Park Lane | Retain | No Change; Multiple functions including Event Control, Firearms and Response | |
| Cosford | Retain | No Change | |
| Ridgepoint House | Under Review | Under Review (provision of Forensic Services) | Under Review |
| Tally Ho | Under Review | Under Review Training College and Search House; Sports & Social | Under Review |
