Star comment: Negative effect of Shropshire police station closures

It is the sort of spin that strains credulity. What the public wants from the police is a highly visible presence and pulling the plug on small stations which are at the heart of the communities they are serving wipes the permanent bricks-and-mortar presence from the map.

Nevertheless it has to be recognised that West Mercia Police is under severe financial pressure and that innovative measures which can save money without hitting the level of service are to be treasured at this difficult time.

According to Shropshire's police commissioner Bill Longmore, officers based in Whitchurch could soon be working in the Civic Centre in some sort of arrangement with the town council.

It sounds rather like the arrangement that has been adopted with some post offices, which have moved out of post office buildings and into the back of shops.

At least there does seem to be general agreement that Whitchurch does need a police base, which puts the town ahead of places like Ironbridge, Albrighton and Ellesmere where the small stations are to shut completely.

The idea in some other areas, including Whitchurch, is that officers will work from "community policing posts". How these will pan out remains to be seen, but it sounds second best and make-do. These posts will not have a permanent police presence, but will be available for officers to use as required. The interpretation of "as required" is one of those things that could prove very vague and very elastic in practice.

Mr Longmore and the people in Whitchurch are talking to each other, so our newly-elected police commissioner is doing what he is charged with doing, and representing the views of the ordinary public as opposed to the uniformed professionals.

What results may not be a gold standard police service in Whitchurch, but in the current times achieving the least bad option will be a reasonable outcome.