POLICE stations across West Somerset will close as Avon and Somerset Constabulary looks to reduce costs and save money. Although details are still sketchy, the changes will come into force in 2016/17 and will see Minehead's inquiry office and policing team move to a new site in the town where it will be joined by Williton. Dulverton's police office will move to a new site, while Watchet's 'shop front' will only be open in the summer. Avon and Somerset Constabulary said its plans were aimed at reducing its estate by "moving buildings and people". Sue Mountstevens, Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner, said the changes - which will affect stations across the force area - would enable more officers to remain "on or close to the frontline". She said the changes had become possible due to the opening of a trio of new police centres, including one in Bridgwater. "I do not want residents to feel that the police are withdrawing from their area or street," Ms Mountstevens said. "Far from it. Our plans are about reducing the amount of oversized and under-utilised buildings we own and providing the best possible access for our communities. "This is an exciting time for local policing and reinforces our commitment to serving our communities while being more efficient and cost effective with our buildings." Last month Ms Mounstevens told West Somerset residents that Minehead police station was "too big" when she spoke at an open meeting in the town. The Townsend Road building once housed a magistrates' court and provided accommodation for officers as well as its current custody facilities and an inquiry office. At the time of the meeting she stopped short of saying the station would close. Now the force has confirmed that the Townsend Road site will close in 2016/17 and will "co-locate" with Williton somewhere within Minehead. The new base will include an inquiry office and policing team, while regular meetings will be held in Williton once the village police station closes as part of the move. Contrary to media reports elsewhere claimingd a custody suite would stay in Minehead, a force spokesman told the Free Press yesterday (Thursday) that the issue of retaining the suite was "under review" and all options remained open. A neighbourhood police team will still be based in Dulverton, although the current office will close, and the police office on The Esplanade in Watchet will only be open during the summer. Ms Mounstevens said: "In the traditional sense, police stations as people know them now will change. "Soon people will be much more likely to see their local police team located with other 'blue light' services such as fire and ambulance or with your local council. "This means that the police will be where people need them most, in the heart of their community." In a statement, the force said it was aiming to reduce its buildings portfolio by more than a third by 2019 as part of its ongoing drive to cut costs. It said its existing estate included old, outdated buildings which were expensive to run and maintain and which were not flexible enough to support changes planned by the force. Others would be "under-occupied" when the three new police and custody centres opened, while some stations were felt to be in the "wrong places" and difficult for the public to access. The force said it would sell "medium-sized" police buildings which were no longer needed. The constabulary's director of finance, Julian Kern, said: "The opening of the new police centres has presented us with a valuable opportunity to look at our police estate. "We have identified where we are and where we should be to best serve our communities and support our operational officers. "In addition, many of our buildings are in need of significant investment and are too large for what we need. "We are keen to work with our local partners and seek smaller and more flexible locations. "Some of the details of exactly where we will be moving to are not yet confirmed and commercial discussions are underway in some cases. "We will communicate with the local communities affected when we have the details."