HULTON Park conservatives will campaign to stop Westhoughton police station from closing.

The Tory group said a survey it carried out identified policing as one of the most important concerns in the area.

Mark Perks, who organised the survey of 3,500 homes, believed most residents did not want to see the police station closed.

In a radical shake up of Greater Manchester Police, the Wigan Road station would be replaced by a police counter - possibly in Market Street - where routine enquiries could be made.

A new station would be constructed at an all-purpose site on the Middlebrook Development in Horwich.

Police authority bosses say it would improve the service by making policing more efficient.

But Mr Perks said policing of the area had been criticised in the survey, completed by 300 households.

In particular, it showed people wanted better response times and more bobbies patrolling the area.

Mr Perks said: "With the authority now saying it intends to close Westhoughton station along with others in the area, we shall be campaigning to stop these closures and have in fact called for more patrolling and speedier attendance times."

Police authority spokesman Peter Hodges said improved response times and more prominent patrols on the streets were two of the most important objectives for the police.

But the most up-to-date figures for the year 1996-97 show a drop in performance with only eight out of 10 999 calls answered within 15 seconds.

Meanwhile, councillors told a Westhoughton Town Council meeting that the proposed closure of the police station was causing concern among many residents.

Lib Dem Cllr David Wilkinson criticised the plan, saying it would take policing away from the community.

Fellow Lib Dem Cllr Brian Clare pointed out that 60 years ago there were two police stations when there were only 8,000 people - a third of the current population.

He said he wanted to see details of exactly how money was being distributed.

The town council voted to invite Bolton Police Chief Supt Mel Pelham to Westhoughton Town Hall to explain the proposals in detail.

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