POLICE officers will continue to be based in Corsham, says Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson, who has dismissed rumours that officers would be moving permanently to Chippenham.

Speculation has been circulating in the town that there might be a permanent withdrawal of police from their base at the Springfield Community Campus, which replaced the town’s old police station after it closed in 2014.

This week Mr Macpherson said this was not true and that with the introduction of his community policing scheme in October there will in fact be a larger pool of officers available daily to deal with incidents in Corsham.

Corsham Town Council chairman Ruth Hopkinson said: “I am very heartened to hear the community policing team in Corsham is going to be staying put. My only concern is that we have that continuity of personnel.

“We need officers who know the town and can make connections with the town and can respond best to incidents there and I hope any new officers can continue to deliver those objectives.”

Mr Macpherson said: “No, we are not moving our police officers and staff out of Corsham. The introduction of community policing in October is designed to offer a better service for the public, in line with my Police and Crime Plan. It will in fact mean there is a larger pool of officers available 24/7 to deal with incidents in Corsham.

“Officers and staff in Corsham will now be part of the Wiltshire North Community Policing Team.

“The team will have a short briefing at Monkton Park at the beginning of their shift.

“However, it is important to reassure people that this is just for the briefings. As soon as these joint briefings are finished, all officers and staff will be back out in their beat areas, policing local issues.

“This means the Corsham staff and officers will still be in Corsham, using the Springfield Campus as a base. My investment in better technology will take our service to the next level, allowing staff and officers to work more remotely so they can be more visible in their community.

“They have access to 4G laptops and smartphones, meaning they are no longer tied to their desks and will be able to catch up on paperwork while working in the community.

“This will include locations such as libraries and cafes, as well as areas where we know a police presence would act as a deterrent to issues such as anti-social behaviour. I will be consulting with the public as Community Policing is rolled-out and will welcome feedback.”