Police union says pace of move off Wootton Hall site puts public '˜at risk'

Northamptonshire's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) is putting the public 'at risk' by pushing through the move out of Wootton Hall, a police union representative has said.

PCC Adam Simmonds announced today he had signed a “heads of agreement” with the Education Funding Agency for the force to vacate Wootton Hall Park in order to make way for a new school.

The new Wootton Park School is expected to open in modular buildings on the site in September.

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Lyndsay Smith, Unison branch secretary for Northamptonshire Police staff, said members were alarmed about the pace of the move.

She said: “A heads of agreement document is not legally binding. There is still no plan for where the existing police staff and officers will go and we remain engaged with the force to seek the best outcome for our members. The site has not yet been sold as no contract has been signed.

“We remain alarmed at the pace of this move and we feel that the PCC is not acting in the best interests of Northamptonshire Police, its staff or the public.

“The speed of this is being dictated by the school who want to open in September 2016, rather than at a pace that ensures Northamptonshire Police can continue to provide an efficient service to the public. UNISON feels that this fast pace of moving staff from the site will put the public at risk.”