WARMINSTER has been chosen as the location for a new custody unit as Wiltshire Police are set to close the one in Melksham.

Wiltshire Police said it will be following the lead of Avon & Somerset and Gloucestershire police, who are in the process of downsizing their custody from nine to four and three to one respectively.

A feasibility study into whether a custody unit should be built in the Warminster area has now been commissioned by Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon, Angus Macpherson.

Three units, in Swindon, Salisbury and Melksham, operated for decades, but the proposal would see a reduction in time transporting those in custody and money with the potential closure of Melksham and Salisbury having already closed.

Swindon’s custody suite at Gablecross would remain open however.

Mr Macpherson, said: “We cannot justify going back to our previous three-unit custody model because of the heavy costs involved.

“We are tied in contractually to the custody unit in Swindon because it forms part of the Gablecross police station which was built under the Private Finance Initiative.

“That means we need our second unit in Wiltshire and in the optimum location to provide a consistent service to the central and south hubs.

“If we were to build another unit in Salisbury we would need to have a three-unit model to ensure acceptable standards of delivery across the county, whilst other forces are looking at having one custody unit.

“We must try to get a balance of service provision across Wiltshire.

“We have agreed to carry out a feasibility study on the Warminster area because of its geographic location and the quality of transport links, including the A road network, bus services and a railway station linking the town with Salisbury in one direction and Westbury, Trowbridge and Bradford on Avon in the other.

“Wiltshire Police has a duty of care when it takes someone into custody.

“If they are subsequently released they need to be able to get home safely and in a timely manner.

“The present custody unit in an estate on the outskirts of Melksham does not have that.

“The move to two custody units makes good sense in terms of public spending, efficient transport of detainees, and care of detainees on release.” 

Chief Constable Mike Veale said: “The custody provision review was a comprehensive, in-depth piece of work by both the project team and independent consultants Process Evolution.

“The three custody units – Swindon, Salisbury and Melksham - were costing in excess of £4.5m a year to run.

“This review gives us a compelling body of evidence to underpin our decision making.

“We are confident that the decision not to build a custody unit in the southern policing hub is the right one.

“The evidence shows us that any such unit would be under-used – it simply would not be cost effective or sustainable, especially during a time of austerity.

“The next step is for us to commission a feasibility study to assess the potential of locating a custody unit in the Warminster area.

“This study will also consider our wider estates strategy, including future use of Melksham Police Station and custody.

“We hope that the feasibility study will start in July and run through to the end of this year.”