PCC secures significant boost for joint Woodbridge police and fire station

A successful bid for funding from a government innovation pot, set aside for Police and Crime Commissioners, has resulted in a significant financial boost for the proposed joint fire and police station in Theatre Street, Woodbridge. 

Suffolk has secured £413,250 in 2014/15 and £21,750 the following year towards the creation of the new facility on the site of the existing fire station in Theatre Street. A separate bid to Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) for almost £5m for blue light property collaboration across Suffolk is expected later this year.

Suffolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Tim Passmore said, “I am absolutely delighted that we have been able to successfully bid for this joint funding with the Fire Service. It is really important that Suffolk gets its fair share from these Government funding pots and I’d like to thank the Constabulary and Fire Service for their support in putting the bids together.”

“Working together with other blue-light services is absolutely key to meeting the financial challenges that we face. I am very pleased with the four existing shared stations across the county, they save money and improve the joint working of our two key emergency services. This is excellent news for all of us.”

Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Protection, Cllr Colin Spence said; “This is great news for Suffolk. The grant funding and planning approval will help us move forward and develop a fifth shared station in the heart of the community. Working together and sharing property is helping us to continue to deliver excellent services to local people and save taxpayers money.”

The new joint base will replace the old police station in Grundisburgh Road. The £750,000 project includes:
• An extension to the front of the fire station, which would provide new office accommodation for police officers
• Provision for eight new car parking spaces for police use and cycle parking to the rear of the station
• A new garage to the rear of the station to accommodate the Fire Service Command vehicle, which presently sits inside the station, and
• Much improved facilities for staff and the community and better access for the public.

Police and Fire already share four stations at Ixworth, Elmswell, Debenham and Framlingham and these are working well and saving both emergency services and the taxpayer money. The plans to develop and improve Woodbridge fire station will help both emergency services become even more cost effective and enable the services to work more closely together in Woodbridge.

The plan is for building work to commence on site on Monday 6 October and completed by May 2015. There will be no disruption to fire and police services during the works.