LABOUR’S candidate for Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner has committed to finding "a more suitable police station for Salisbury".

The PCC election is set to be rerun on August 19, after Tory winner Jonathon Seed was disqualified over a 30-year-old drink driving conviction.

Junab Ali says it is "clear to him" that the current location "is not suitable", and that the city urgently needs a better facility.

He has pledged to "immediately commence a process to explore options", if elected.

He added: "I also pledge to involve serving police officers and their representatives throughout the process of defining the requirements for a building through to occupying it and using it.

"Our hard-working police officers need suitable premises from which to operate, with meeting and interview rooms, secure storage and parking and up-to-date operations and communications facilities.

"Our police officers have valuable insight and experience we should use and these decisions are improved by involving people who have the practical knowledge at the earliest possible stage and throughout any decision-making process."

Mr Ali says that COVID has also had a significant impact on this issue as it has led to large numbers of police officers and police staff having to work from home and this has been found to be more effective and practical than was expected.

He said: "This is clearly what has happened in other public and private sector organisations and they will also be reviewing their building needs very carefully post-pandemic.

"In common with other private and public sector bodies, we may be able to work with smaller and/or fewer building spaces in future whilst ensuring that our police officers have access to appropriate, effective bases of a good standard and we must do this in a way that enhances police effectiveness.”

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