CONSERVATIVE MP James Morris has urged Labour’s police and crime commissioner to “put political differences aside” over plans to close Halesowen Police Station and agree a way forward.

But in a letter to David Jamieson this week he falls short of calling for a face-to-face meeting, despite being criticised for not attempting to see the commissioner.

Mr Jamieson slated the MP for not stopping to speak to him when he handed in a petition against the closure at his Birmingham office last month and this week re-iterated “my door is always open”.

Mr Morris hit back, saying: "His only response so far has not been constructive to the debate and been highly personal - if he wants to meet me, he only has to ask."

In the letter, Mr Morris calls for the proposed closures of local police stations, including Halesowen, to be postponed and to conduct a “proper consultation on the best way of ensuring the West Midlands Police can retain their footprint in communities across the Black Country.”

He lambasted Mr Jamieson, describing the decision to axe 28 stations, while more than £30 million is to be spent on refurbishing the force’s Birmingham headquarters, as having been taken with “crude, short term political calculation in mind,” adding: “The personal attacks you have made on me in the local press indicate that, up to this point, you have been more interested in playing party politics than engaging with the issues and concerns expressed by local people who have joined my Save Halesowen Police Station campaign.”

Mr Morris claimed the Government's decision in the last week’s autumn review to protect overall police spending in real terms works out as an increase of £900 million cash by 2019/20 and said West Midlands Police have more than £179 million in reserves, underspending by £7 million in the last financial year.

MP James Morris said: “Given the strong financial position of West Midlands Police, and the Government’s commitment to protecting the policing budget, it is now the right time for Mr Jamieson to put on hold his decision to close Halesowen Police Station and consult properly with local people about its future.”

But Mr Jamieson decisions on the use of premises was made by the chief constable – his role was to decide what to do with the buildings once vacated.

He told the News: “The Chief Constable has decided to reduce the number of buildings that the force rents and owns because he now has fewer officers and staff. He has fewer staff and officers because of the disproportionate £130 million cuts faced by West Midlands Police over the last five years.”

Mr Jamieson added: “The overriding view of police professionals is that officers, not buildings, keep people safe. These changes will have no impact on response times as response officers are not based at these locations.”