Dunbar, North Berwick and Prestonpans police stations could close

Cash-strapped Police Scotland are proposing to shut the police stations in Dunbar, North Berwick and Prestonpans and relocate officers to existing larger stations. 

If approved, Musselburgh, Tranent and Haddington police stations would remain open.

Chief Inspector Ben Leathes (pictured below), Police Scotland's East Lothian Area Commander, stressed that police were “committed to remaining in the area” and to “continuing to provide a service to East Lothian”.

If the closures went head, he said there would be no change to the delivery of policing services in the county and no changes to local policing teams.

Advances in technology meant, Ch Insp Leathes added, that officers were now "fully mobile" and that the police service was "not defined by our buildings". 

He said: “We’ve been reviewing the buildings we have across Lothian and Borders Division and how we use them.

Ch Insp Ben Leathes

"We considered where we would want to locate our people to be as effective and efficient as possible. This work has allowed us to identify buildings which we believe are no longer required."

He acknowledged there was likely to be “community concerns” around any changes involving police buildings and he was "sensitive" to such feelings but said:  “Our policing service is not defined by our buildings, but by our actions within the communities we serve and work with”.

“Our community policing team in Prestonpans relocated to Tranent police station over a year ago and they have continued to support the local community," he said.

“The changes proposed to North Berwick and Dunbar are in line with our policing plan that has been in place for the last 10 years.

“Under that plan, if any member of the public contacts the police in North Berwick or Dunbar, it is actually our response officers based in Haddington who respond to those incidents.

“With investment in our fleet and digital device technology, our officers are now fully mobile.

“Officers will continue to remain actively present in the community throughout their entire shifts, ensuring your safety and maintaining a strong, visible police presence.

“If our proposals go ahead, there would be no change to the delivery of policing services and there would be no changes to the local policing teams.

“We are committed to remaining within the area and continuing to provide a service to East Lothian.”

Public consultations have now been launched to gather the views of the local community on the prospect of the three stations closing.

Prestonpans police station, off the town’s New Street, has not been used since the start of last year, with local officers already working from Tranent.

Under the proposals, what is described as "the small number of officers" currently based at the stations on North Berwick High Street and Dunbar’s Belhaven Road would move about 10 miles to Haddington.

Ch Insp Leathes highlighted the ongoing costs -  such as on heating systems, security, and aspects of the buildings such as custody cells -  associated with each of the three buildings.

“If our proposals go ahead, there would be no change to the delivery of policing services and there would be no changes to the local policing teams.

“We are committed to remaining within the area and continuing to provide a service to East Lothian.”

Previously, the possibility of closing the police station on Haddington’s Court Street and moving into the nearby former sheriff court building was explored.

Ch Insp Leathes said that that was now unlikely as the police looked to utilise more modern facilities.

Interested parties have until September 20 to have their say on the potential closures.

He added: “We are absolutely committed to listening to the wider views so we can shape the delivery of policing across East Lothian.”

Anyone wishing to talk to an officer could, he said, visit a police station or call 101 (999 in an emergency).

The consultation can be found at https://consult.scotland.police.uk/strategy-insight-and-innovation/involving-you-in-the-future-of-our-estate/