Dudley's new £6 million police headquarters 'to open next month'

A spokesman for West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster said the final touches were being put to the new complex at Castlegate Park, on the corner of Tipton Road and Birmingham Road.

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"It is being fitted out with the necessary kit, and will be open during the first week of November," he said.

Hundreds of officers, staff and volunteers will  be based at the new base, previously occupied by insurance broker Footman James.

It replaces the existing headquarters in Brierley Hill, which originally opened in 1966 as the HQ for the short-lived West Midlands Constabulary.

The new police station will include a public contact office where people can report crime and get advice in person.

A spokesman for the commissioner said the new station would honour a commitment made when the old station closed.

However, plans to move Brierley Hill's two community teams into council offices at Cable Plaza on the Waterfront business park have  been criticised by councillors, who said it was a downgrade for the area.

Councillor Adan Davies said he was concerned the Waterfront base would not have 24-hour emergency-response officers or a public desk where people can report crime and speak to officers in person.

Councillor Davies criticised the new base - describing it as 'a few tucked-away rooms inside a council building on Waterfront'.

He said: "Unless other teams, including emergency response and a public front desk, are kept in Brierley Hill as they are today, then it's hard to see how our area won't be less safe as a result of this inexcusable plan.”

Talking about the new Dudley headquarters, Chief Constable Craig Guildford asid: “This is a fantastic development of an iconic building close to the castle.

“The building had been completely gutted by local tradespeople. The project has created jobs and putting money into the local economy – just what every responsible public sector organisation should do.

“The geographic location of the new police station will help us to respond in an efficient manner while co-locating with the council at Cable Plaza in Brierley Hill is good news for the taxpayer and helps us build effective working relationships.”