A project to sell part of the Newark Police Station site to East Midlands Ambulance Service to maximise its use and increase value for money has taken a major step forward.
Nottinghamshire Police, the Office of the Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner and East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) NHS Trust have been in discussion regarding the blue light collaboration to develop a new ambulance base at the existing Newark Police Station site; meaning both emergency services will be able to make the best use of public money, while at the same time finding new ways to work even closer together.
The savings generated by the development will be reinvested back into the communities served by Nottinghamshire Police and EMAS to help keep them safe and well.
Now that EMAS has secured ownership of a building on part of the site, which was previously used by police colleagues for training purposes and to interview victims of serious crime, refurbishment will be undertaken to ensure it supports ambulance operational and day-to-day requirements before ambulance crews move in.
Police officers will still be in the main building at the front of the site and the public will still be able to use the front counter to report crime as normal. The mothballed custody suite at Newark Police station has also been transformed into a uniform stores, freeing up space previously used at the Joint Police and Fire Service Headquarters in Arnold to be used by police officers.
Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry said: “This is a hugely positive development for Newark and has significant economic benefits for both the force and our communities.
“As well as securing a nice chunk of money from the sale, this agreement will reduce our ongoing costs as we will no longer be paying for space that we do not need. This means better value for money for the public.
“Importantly, this deal will ensure police remain at the very heart of the community and are accessible to the people they are responsible for protecting and serving. This is my number one priority.
“I am delighted both parties have been able to reach an agreement to move the project forward. As Commissioner, I have vowed to listen to the public and make decisions based on what is best for our communities and this is exactly what this deal represents.”
Greg Cox, Divisional Director for Nottinghamshire at EMAS, said: “We have worked hard with our police colleagues to get to this point, and we now look forward to moving into this implementation phase and to continue to develop an already excellent working relationship.
“We frequently work together at the scene of incidents, so this is clearly a positive move for EMAS and will serve to strengthen our working relationships with our blue light colleagues whilst maintaining our care standards for the community we serve.
“We are keen to ensure our frontline staff have a suitable base where they can start and finish their shifts and this collaboration has allowed us the opportunity to provide new and improved modern facilities for our colleagues in Newark.”
Posted on Friday 12th August 2022