A SCHEME to build a police custody suite in Middlewich has been passed by planning bosses.
The development will house detainees from across East, South and Mid Cheshire as soon as summer 2005.
Police chiefs pinpointed three sites in Cheshire to provide modernised accommodation for prisoners, including Middlewich.
It is hoped by having dedicated police and civilian staff to deal with arrests and post-arrests, officers can get back on the beat.
Detective Inspector David Bertenshaw, who heads the custody project, is pleased full planning permission has been granted.
But he says there is a lot to be done before building work starts, let alone detainees move into Middlewich.
Det Insp Bertenshaw said: 'It's a good step forward on the road and it helps us to the final signing of the contracts, but there's still a lot of work to be done. We are pleased we've got this step over.
'Now we have the full planning permissions at Middlewich and Chester and the Runcorn one is coming through very soon.
'As for the rest of the project, it is going well.
'We are looking to sign the contract with Cheshire Custody Services in the summer, with our first opening in summer of 2005.
'Successful completion of this stage is a good move forward.'
The police have also set up a local liaison panel, which was due to meet for the first time as the Chronicle went to press last night.
It will discuss issues relating to the custody suite's position within Middlewich and has an open agenda.
Det Insp Bertenshaw said: 'We are going there to listen. We could set an agenda but we want to know what people want and the idea is we listen on this first meeting.'
Middlewich town and Congleton borough councillor Mike Parsons will sit on the liaison panel. He hopes meeting the police will get points of concern out in the open.
Cllr Parsons, a campaigner against the axing of Middlewich's night-time bus service, believed public transport would be the main talking point.
But he is keen that residents aren't alarmed by what is happening. He thinks that in the long term the suite might be of some benefit to the town.
Cllr Parsons said: 'What we will be talking about is how people released either on bail, or if there was not enough evidence to charge them, how these people will be getting back home.
'It is not the responsibility of the police or the security company that will run the cells to get these people back where they came from.
'With the infrastructure and buses that Middlewich doesn't have, there is a lot of concern we may be dealing with undesirables who find it easy to take a car off the nearest car park.'
But he added: 'I would like to think that by having this facility it might improve the feel of police presence in the area.'
