AVON and Somerset Police have moved to a new police station at West Somerset House, Williton, the offices of Somerset West and Taunton Council.

The Response and Neighbourhood Policing teams in Williton and Watchet have transferred to the shared location on Killick Way and will be joined on site by the Response team for Minehead.

The Minehead Neighbourhood Policing team and enquiry office will remain at the Townsend Road site in Minehead.

The newly refurbished offices provide the teams with a modern and fit-for-purpose base in a location offering better access across West Somerset, while enabling them to continue to be accessible to the local community. The new location does not affect the number of officers or PCSOs in the surrounding communities, who will continue to work as they currently do.

Neighbourhood Chief Inspector Justin French said: “Our new offices at West Somerset House provide a central base for our teams and will ensure our communities continue to have access to their local policing team.

"Being located at West Somerset House will not only allow the Neighbourhood Policing team to remain visible within the community but will also provide huge benefits in terms of enhancing partnership working and collaboration through co-location.”

Huw Jenkins, Neighbourhood Sergeant for Exmoor, Minehead and Williton, said: “The move to Somerset House provides our officers with a modern and fit for purpose base and will mean that the neighbourhood policing team are more visible and accessible to the communities they serve.

"Co-locating alongside our colleagues at SWT will also greatly enhance our ability to work together to help keep our communities safe.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens said: “I’m pleased to announce that the local policing team have now moved into their new station in Williton.

"The future of policing is about being located with other local services to ensure we are making the best use of our resources. I hope that this new site provides new opportunities for collaboration with our partners to meet the needs of local residents and create safer communities.”

Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts, leader of Somerset West and Taunton Council, said: “I am delighted to welcome the Avon and Somerset Police to our building guaranteeing a police presence in Williton for the foreseeable future.

"West Somerset House is ideally suited for partnership working where together we can offer local people greater convenience by having multiple services under one roof. This has worked very well at our Taunton offices, where we have established a successful working relationship with the policing team in the Deane House Hub.

"I look forward to working closely with police colleagues at Williton to create an equally great facility within the heart of the West Somerset community.”