PORTISHEAD police station could be closed and the building sold-off as part of cost-cutting measures.

If the move goes ahead, the Portishead neighbourhood police team of 13 would be relocated to the force headquarters in Valley Road, sparking fears the town will see less of their local officers on the beat.

Residents have not been able to walk into the South Avenue police station without an appointment since the public enquiry office closed last summer.

The constabulary defended the decision at the time, saying more people used the telephone or emails to contact them rather than attending the station in person. A mobile station has since been introduced to the area.

At a Portishead Town Council meeting Cllr Alan McMurray read out a letter of grave concern from a resident who said he was worried more time would be spent getting to and from a non-central station, reducing officers’ hours on the beat.

With Portishead being the second biggest town in North Somerset, many councillors expressed alarm over the possibility of the town losing its own dedicated police station and vowed to challenge the matter.

In the meantime a spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said: “The neighbourhood policing team is committed to serving the communities of Portishead.

“We are looking at options to dispose of the existing police station and relocate the local team to the police headquarters but this will not affect the service we provide.

“We will continue to provide our fortnightly meetings in the mobile police station and we are looking at ways we can be more flexible and provide more opportunities for people to come and speak to us.”

The police can be contacted by calling 101, through their website or by emailing ssnportishead@avonandsomerset.police.uk

Portishead police also attend monthly PACT meetings with residents and hold regular beat surgeries in the town.