West Midlands Police: Seven desks to close in May
Seven West Midlands Police front offices are to close at the end of the month, the force says.
The closures are part of plans announced in November to save £3m. The force said 27 of its 41 front desks would close, putting 90 jobs at risk.
Seventeen closed earlier this year and further seven will shut on 31 May. Two more will follow in June and another later in the summer.
Asst Ch Con Carl Foulkes said the decision had not been taken lightly.
"The simple fact is front offices are hugely underused and cost the taxpayer millions each year to keep open," he said.
"Nothing will change to the local delivery of policing - local neighbourhood teams will continue to patrol and be very much a part of their local community," he added.
Ten front counters will remain open, nine from 08:00 to 22:00 BST and one for 24 hours a day.
The number of staff affected by compulsory redundancy as a result of the closures is very small and reducing on a daily basis, a force spokeswoman said.
"A number have successfully applied for voluntary redundancy and others have secured alternative roles within the force," she added.
More than 2,700 jobs, including 1,100 officer posts, are to go by the end of 2015 to save £126m.
The front offices closing on 31 May are:
- Willenhall (Coventry)
- Shirley (Solihull)
- Erdington (Birmingham North)
- Handsworth (Birmingham West and Central)
- Harborne (Birmingham South)
- Bilston (Wolverhampton)
Kings Heath will close on 9 June, Smethwick a week later and Walsall will shut once refurbishment work has been completed in Bloxwich, which is expected to be later in the summer, the force added.