But when civic leaders, including Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens and district council leader Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts, toured the new police headquarters on Monday, the three local district councillors, Loretta Whetlor, Hugh Davies and Ian Aldridge, were not invited.
“I know there are problems with Covid,” Cllr Whetlor said. “But we would have appreciated being shown round the new station and we were not made aware that it had officially moved.”
Cllr Aldridge said: “I am disappointed that I was kept in the dark about what was happening on my patch.” He said he had urged the authorities for many years to keep a major police presence in Williton when there had been pressure to move it to Minehead.
Cllr Aldridge said there had been a lack of publicity over the move and it was not clear whether the public had access to the new police station.
A police spokesman said: “Unfortunately, due to the current Covid restrictions we were not able to hold an official opening event for the new Williton police station at West Somerset House.
“Only a very limited number of guests were invited to attend the photo call to help ensure that we were able to keep everyone safe and adhere to the strict social distancing guidelines.
“We hope this clarifies the reason that the invitation was not extended to more people.”
Response and neighbourhood policing teams in Williton and Watchet have transferred to the new shared location in 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 purpose base, in a location which will give them 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.
Neighbourhood Chief Inspector Justin French said: “Our new offices 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: “Co-locating alongside our colleagues at SWT will also greatly enhance our ability to work together to help keep our communities safe.”
For the full story, see this week’s West Somerset Free Press.