POLICE chiefs have given the clearest indication yet that Minehead could lose its police station - replaced with a smaller 'high street' presence 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 enquiry office.

But Avon and Somerset Chief Constable Nick Gargan told a public meeting in the town on Tuesday that once new custody suites opened in Bridgwater, Keynsham and Patchway, the force would have more cells per officer than many police forces in the world.

Mr Gargan was speaking at the first public forum held in West Somerset by Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens.

Rumours surrounding the future of the Minehead station were first raised by West Somerset councillors and reported in the Free Press last week after claims that a local school had shown an interest in the building.

But the district's most senior police officer, Inspector Shane Carey, told West Somerset Council's scrutiny committee that he was unaware of any plans to close the station.

However, the question on the possible closure was put again to the police top brass this week by local councillor Dave Sanders, a retired police officer who represents Minehead North on the district authority.

He said a similar move by the West Midlands force some years ago was subsequently overturned after crime rates went up and detection rates fell.

But Mr Gargan told the meeting at the Beach Hotel that the Minehead station had around 1,154 square metres of floor space.

Both he and Ms Mountstevens stepped back from actually confirming closure was a possibility but they stressed the important of directing resources into manpower rather than buildings.

With just one person taken into custody in Minehead per day last year and " a shade over that' so far this year, Mr Gargan said the amount of space could not be justified: "It's not like a busy central Bristol nick. It is costing us a bomb and it isn't the best way."

Ms Mountstevens said the force could not afford to have large buildings: "It is far better to have officers," she said. "We believe Minehead police station is too big."

But both Ms Mountstevens and Mr Gargan said they were committed to having a police presence in the town, with a new more central enquiry office on the high street.

"People tell us they want more police visibility," said Ms Mountstevens.

"We have to go where people are - this is taxpayers' money and taxpayers do not want to see half empty buildings."

Mr Gargan had previously warned that by 2017/18, the Avon and Somerset force would have had to weather a 27 per cent reduction in resources in real terms, compared to 2010/11.

Cuts had taken the number of officers down from 3,400 to 2,800.

Concern that any loss of custody facilities in Minehead would affect response times and police cover in the town was raised by local hotelier Bryan Leaker.

He was worried that officers would be taken away from duties for too long if the nearest custody facility was in Bridgwater.

"We would be losing valuable people on the ground and you have to remember that in the summer the population of Minehead increases tenfold," he said.

"We have to have the resources here - we can't wait for officers to come from Taunton."

But Mr Gargan said a number of mitigating measures were planned, including extra transportation to take offenders to custody suites and operational changes which in the coming months would see more officers working late shifts and more working on the front line.

The meeting was also told that investigating teams based at the Bridgwater custody suite - which is expected to open in the summer - would be responsible for processing offenders, leaving arresting officers free to return quickly to their areas.

Chief superintendent Nikki Watson, who heads up the Somerset West area which covers

Bridgwater and Taunton as well as West Somerset, told the meeting that people benefited from living in what was a very safe area,even compared to other rural areas.

She said a reduction in crime over the last five years had resulted in 3,000 fewer victims in the Somerset West area, with the detection rate rising from 30 per cent to 40 per cent over the same time.

"We are delivering a good service and meeting the expectations of people," she said.

Over the last four years a drive to tackle the under-reporting of domestic violence and sexual offences had led to a 20 per cent and 40 per cent increase respectively in reported incidents in those categories.

Anti-social behaviour had dropped by 15 per cent in the last year, resulting in 76 fewer victims, and over the last five years a drop in the number of burglaries meant 1,000 fewer victims.

Ms Watson said the force was using modern technology to help in the fight against crime, with mobile data facilities meaning officers were no longer sat in front of banks of computers in police stations.

During the meeting there was praise for the many local volunteers involved in initiatives ranging from community speedwatch and pub watch schemes to Minehead's CCTV system.

And the work of Minehead's 'Street Pastors' was also highlighted, with similar praise from its organisers for police officers working in the town centre on Friday and Saturday nights.

Earlier in the day Ms Mountstevens had met with farmers and community and business leaders on Exmoor at the Rest and Be Thankful pub at Wheddon Cross.

And she later met members of the Exmoor Search and Rescue team in Williton.

The visit was sixth stop on a tour of Avon and Somerset by Ms Mountstevens aimed at giving residents the chance to have their say on a range of policing issues.