A CONSULTATION into the future of Raglan's police station has been set up to gather the opinions of local people reports ANDY SHERWILL.

In one of his last duties before retiring Superintendent Mark Sutton, Gwent Police's senior officer for Monmouthshire spoke at last week's meeting of Raglan Community Council and said that Gwent Police Authority were considering the future of policing in Raglan where plans have been discussed to close the current police station and replace it with a mobile unit.

Supt Sutton told members that they were looking at all avenues and surveying residents needs so as not to affect front-line policing in the village.

He added: "There is a proposition to close Raglan Police Station even though it contains a witness suite, it is currently under used.

Supt Sutton said this was the start of the month long consultation process and revealed that the village police officer PC Lennie Oliver would not be replaced.

"We are looking at developing a regular service in this village as Raglan has not had the levels of policing it deserves.

"If a mobile unit was deployed in the village it would be on a daily basis and this would effectively give Raglan more of a police presence in the village than it currently receives."

Councillor Andrew Crump pointed out that Raglan hasn't had an officer living on the patch in the police house for some 20 years.

Councillor Trevor Phillips added: "Currently people don't go to the police station so the police have to go into the community to pick up on information.

"This is being achieved by the community officers but not those driving around in vehicles."

Supt Sutton added: "It is essential we get the timing of the mobile station operating in Raglan right as it would be a waste of time and resources if it arrived at an unsuitable time and was not used.

"Raglan is one of the safest areas of Monmouthshire in which to live and the figures for crime that is reported is a fraction of anywhere else in the county."

The consultation runs until the end of October.