CLOSING Wood Farm’s police office will damage improving relations be-tween officers and residents, it has been claimed.

The police base in Atkyns Road is to close in the next year and the officers moved to Cowley police station.

Thames Valley Police has claimed there will be no loss of service and the force would benefit overall by the saving of about £14,000 a year.

But Oxford City Councillor and ward member for Wood Farm Mark Lygo disputed the force stance that the public would see “no change”.

Mr Lygo said: “I am extremely unhappy about this and will be asking questions.

“The residents and the police on the estate have taken a long time to build up a relationship.

“It wasn’t the best for a long time and we have been working very hard to try and build connections between the two, so this is a huge blow.

“It’s not a front counter but it is a visible presence and it does reassure people.

“I’m not happy and the residents will not be happy either.

“There will be issues surrounding moving it – the officers will have to come from further away.”

He said he felt a proper consultation had not been carried out with those living on the estate and would seek clarification on the matter.

Wood Farm Co-operative Ladies Club member Doreen Whitlock, of Nuffield Road, said the closure of the office would make the area less safe for the elderly.

The 86-year-old said: “That is very bad news, and very surprising too.

“There has been a lot of trouble around here so to lose somewhere for the police to go is terrible.

“You always feel safer with the police walking up and down, seeing them about, and the building itself is a sign that police are near.

“They will have to come from further away so will they still bother?

“It’s nice to see the office there and it will be a real shame to lose it.”

On Tuesday Thames Valley Police announced plans to close several police offices across Oxfordshire.

Deputy Chief Constable Francis Habgood said front counter services would not be reduced and no staffing would be affected.

But he said where Rose Hill, Barton, Blackbird Leys would get replacement neighbourhood offices Wood Farm would lose its police base entirely.

A force-wide plan to axe stations and cut back on leasing is expected to save an estimated £22m.

In January the Oxford Mail revealed Thames Valley Police was to close Blackbird Leys police office three years after it opened despite crime levels having dropped in the time it was open.