Warwickshire News Mine

The decision to relocate the services formerly available from the front desk at Warwick police station into Shire Hall was made last year, with the aim of ensuring that as many people as possible had access to police services when they needed them.

The arrangement was a first for Warwickshire and, one year on, has been judged a success by Warwickshire Police, Warwickshire County Council and Warwick District Council – the partners involved in Warwickshire Direct in Warwick district.

Representatives from all authorities will be gathering at Shire Hall on Tuesday (7 December) to celebrate the anniversary.

Residents have been very active in using the relocated police services, with the Warwickshire Direct advisors handling up to 100 police enquiries each month. Feedback has been very positive, with the vast majority of people surveyed saying their experience was good and that they would visit ‘Warwickshire Direct – Warwick’ again to access police services.

The most popular enquiry is dealing with lost and found property, with the most unusual ‘find’ being a piece of medical equipment, worth thousands of pounds, which was found in a canal – and, after a bit of detective work, was re-united with its very grateful owner. 

Other police services offered at Warwickshire Direct include checking vehicle documents when police officers have asked for them to be produced, taking reports of road traffic collisions, abandoned vehicles and parking issues.

Superintendent Adrian McGee, Head of Customer Contact at Warwickshire Police, said: "Twelve months ago we embarked on this new partnership to become part of Warwickshire Direct, the first of its kind in the county, and it has proven to be a real success story and a fantastic benchmark for future projects.

“This move has demonstrated that by offering all services at one location it enables us to make better use of our resources and allows us to provide a more effective and efficient service, and as a result we are rolling the concept out across other areas in the county. 

“Warwickshire Police is committed to delivering the right service, first time, and providing local people better access to facilities when they need them most."

Councillor Colin Hayfield, Portfolio Holder for Customers, Workforce and Partnerships at Warwickshire County Council, said: “A year ago, this was a unique opportunity for us to include police services with all the other services we already offered at Warwickshire Direct in Shire Hall – and our partnership with Warwickshire Police was the first of its kind in the county.

“The success of this partnership has proved that providing all services at one location provides a better overall service for the public. We are now exploring with Warwickshire Police a number of other opportunities to provide an integrated service to other communities in Warwick district and beyond.“

Councillor Les Caborn, Warwick District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Customer and Information Services, said: “Bringing police services into Warwickshire Direct a year ago further diversified the services on offer and complimented the district and county services that were already available. I’m delighted that this has been a success in Warwick – it is a great example of how authorities can work together to provide better access to services for local residents, all under one roof.”

Chief Inspector Neil Harrison, Warwick District Commander, said: "We welcomed the opportunity to team up with Warwickshire County Council and Warwick District Council to pilot a ‘one stop shop’ solution in Warwick, and I am really pleased at its success and that we are able to offer valuable services that the community can access under one roof.

“There has been no reduction in policing in the town as a result of these changes and we remain committed to protecting the community of Warwick District from harm."

The move to Shire Hall has meant that police services are available for longer opening hours than when they were located at Warwick police station front desk.

Warwickshire Direct advisors are fully trained to be able to deal with visitors directly, signpost them to police services, or offer a private interview room for more personal matters (something that was not available at Warwick police station).

Link to WCC