MINEHEAD'S MP says the town has become "lawless" due to a lack of police officers.

Ian Liddell-Grainger blames poor levels of policing and is lodging a complaint with Avon and Somerset's Chief Constable.

He claims crime will get worse due to "a non-existent police presence after dark" since the force switched the local police HQ from Minehead to Williton.

“Recent events in the town centre at night have clearly demonstrated what a lawless area it's now become,” said Mr Liddell-Grainger.

“I warned for months that to leave a population of 12,000 plus a summer population of several thousand more with little or no night-time cover was asking for trouble. Trouble is precisely what is resulting.

“I don’t care what exercise involving bean-counters and man-hour calculations has been used to justify the move to Williton. In the cold light of day it looks like a ridiculous decision and at the dead of night a dangerous one.

“Even if we're never going to go back to the days of an inspector, three sergeants and 25 PCs in Minehead, having some kind of police presence on the streets at night was always an effective deterrent against crime and disorder.

“Now there's nothing, and when the police are called not merely do they take an unacceptably long time to arrive, they fob people off with pathetic excuses such as there being no evidence of offences having been committed."

He believes this leads to crimes going unrecorded, resulting in figures showing Minehead has a low crime rate.

The MP added: "People in Minehead have a right to sleep soundly in their beds undisturbed by drunks, vandals, fighting and intolerably loud music, yet that's now what they're experiencing on an almost nightly basis."

Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford said: “I acknowledge the concerns raised by Ian Liddell-Grainger MP regarding policing in Minehead; we want all our communities across Avon and Somerset to feel they are receiving an efficient and effective service from Avon and Somerset Police.

"I will be reaching out to Mr Liddell-Grainger to discuss his concerns further. 

“In the meantime, I want to reassure both Mr Liddell-Grainger and the residents of Minehead that I will be seeking assurances from Chief Constable Sarah Crew in relation to the policing provisions for the Minehead community, especially in response to the increased footfall and night-time economy over the summer months.”

Supt Richard Turner, Somerset Commander, said: “Keeping the communities of Minehead safe by tackling and reducing crime is a priority for us.

“We have a dedicated and committed Neighbourhood Policing team based in Minehead, as well as response team based at West Somerset House, which serves the town.

“It’s important to note there hasn’t been any reduction in the number of officers or PCSOs serving the local area, following the move to West Somerset House last year.

“We’ll always respond to incidents based on the threat, harm and risk posed to the public, and with our investment in mobile technology and data science, we can identify and respond more effectively to emerging crime series and problem hotspots, including reports of anti-social behaviour.

“We’d welcome a meeting with Mr Liddell-Grainger to listen to and understand his concerns further, and we’ll be working closely with the Police and Crime Commissioner’s office to give any reassurances needed around our policing response in Minehead.”