More police to be based at Battle

The town’s police station, in North Trade Road, is set to become one of five ‘hubs’ across the county, with response officers from Bexhill and Rye to be based at Battle from September.

Sussex Police said the changes will not impact on the time police take to respond to emergency calls as the response teams will be mobile around the Rother district.

The change will only affect where response officers start and finish their shift.

The Force has said creating the five hubs - which also include Hastings, Eastbourne, Lewes and Uckfield - will help cut paperwork and cut costs.

Neighbourhood Policing Teams will remain unchanged.

East Sussex Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Robin Smith, said: “Sussex Police understands how important neighbourhood policing is to the local community and this will be protected despite the need to make savings.

“It is not about taking away services or blind cuts, but finding alternative ways to deliver policing.

“We are committed to protecting, or even improving, our service.

“Quite frankly, we won’t be able to do this if we work in the same way with less money and fewer people.

“Instead, we are looking at how we can do things differently and find ways to cut out waste and bureaucracy.

“One of the ways we will achieve this is by looking at whether we can provide a better service to local communities by restructuring facilities across the East Sussex Division.

“In September response officers will move to five hubs across the division based in Hastings, Battle, Eastbourne, Lewes and Uckfield.

“The changes will not impact on the ability of police to respond to emergency calls.

“Response times should not be affected as the response teams will continue to be mobile, visibly patrolling across the districts as they do now.

“The change will only affect where response officers start and finish their shift.