Crewe and Wilmslow will be the only towns to get new state-of-the art police stations because of finances but no more front desks in Cheshire will close, the commissioner has said.

Cheshire police and crime commissioner Dan Price (Lab) said he had visited all the stations across the county and Crewe was by far the worst.

"It's got RAAC concrete on the top floor, meaning the whole entire top floor isn't usable," the commissioner told a meeting of Cheshire police and crime panel.

"It's got asbestos right the way through, which has obviously been managed appropriately, but means that it's right that, at some point, we move into a modern building."

He said he was pleased to proceed with plans for the new station.

Dan Price (PCC) has called the proposal for a new state-of-the-art police station for Wilmslow very strong (Image-supplied).

Regarding Wilmslow, Mr Price said: "The proposal itself is a very strong proposal, and also it's releasing land for other use to the benefit of the wider community as well."

Panel chair Judy Snowball (CEC, Lab) had asked whether there were plans for other new stations.

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She also asked whether any more front desks at existing police stations were likely to close and whether custody suites would close.

Mr Price said: "In terms of building new stations, to have them in closer distances to other communities, that's not on the horizon within this [police and crime] plan, purely because of the economics around that…

"I'd rather we're putting what funding we've got available into more visible policing presence versus more bricks and mortar."

He did say that he was keen that other options be considered too.

"I'm a big supporter of the safety vans, for instance, safer streets vans, that we have got," said the commissioner.

On the future of custody suites and front desks, Mr Price said: "There is no plan to close any of the custody suites, none whatsoever.

"Custody suites are incredibly expensive, so there are not any plans to build any more either.

"And in terms of front desks, there is no plan to close any more front desks.

"The previous commissioner did, I have got no plans to close any more."

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