CRIME will increase in Netherton if the police station is closed when there is already a "dwindling police presence", concerned councillors have said.

West Midlands Police wants to close 28 buildings across the region over the next two years - including the station on Church Road, in a bid to save £8.5million.

Netherton councillors Qadar Zada and Elaine Taylor have vowed to fight to the "bitter end" to save the station and have started a petition to not only keep it open but increase the police presence in the area.

Cllr Zada said the closure of the station, coupled with news that the force was significantly reducing the number of PCSOs would be “dismantling front line policing”.

He continued: "If this is about reducing costs them I am sure we could work with the community to make something available if they wanted it, but my fear is that this is the first step to cutting further our dwindling police presence.

"I have been shouting out for some time that we haven’t got enough police and instead of increasing their presence all I keep hearing is how many more we’re losing.

"I can’t see how the decisions about the number of police are linked to areas of high social deprivation.

"I’m really concerned for our local residents and we’re not going to take this lying down.”

Cllr Taylor added: "Once we lose the station, we will never get it back and if it is closed, I think crime will increase.

"The people making these decisions don't live in the real world. This is going to affect the whole community."

She fears that "the way things are going", tackling minor crimes that impact on the everyday lives of residents would take a back seat, adding: "It is really concerning."

The councillors are being backed by John Mason, chairman of the local Police and Community Together (PACT) group.

He said: “The solution to this is to work with the community and provide local policing - not to bring down everything we have worked for and built up over the years.”

Despite their concerns, Deputy Chief Constable David Thompson has said he is "confident" that police will continue to protect the public although the way services look and are delivered "will have to change".

He said the force's WMP2020 programme aims to build an "effective and affordable force for the year 2020 and beyond" and stressed: "I remain clear that we are not pulling away from working closely with our communities.

"It will be in a different way but I am committed to ensuring that what we do is more meaningful and has a positive impact on people’s lives."