Richard BatsonThe new, relocated police station at Cromer - which was only given a public inquiry service after protests - is receiving more visitors than the old one.Richard Batson

The new, relocated police station at Cromer - which was only given a public inquiry service after protests - is receiving more visitors than the old one.

Initial plans for the new building in Holt Road, near the district council offices, dropped the former reception area but had a public inquiry window added after townspeople and councillors complained.

PC Gary Medler, pictured, told town councillors that the trend at the new station meant officers hoped to show there was a need for longer standard opening hours. They are limited now to 8am to 4pm from Monday to Wednesday. Officers would answer the window if someone was there but also needed to be on the beat, he said.

There were also concerns about the old station, lower down Holt Road, being boarded up and looking an eyesore after its closure, but coun-cillors were told this was asked for by insurers. Buyers were being sought, but the courthouse next door was still using the old police cells.

Councillors were told that reported crime levels had dropped by 31pc through the efforts of safer neighbourhood teams, and that calls about anti-social behaviour had fallen by 43pc since a local man was given an Asbo and had moved away.

PC Medler said crime levels in recent weeks, at less than one a

day, were 'as low as they have ever been'.

Chief Insp Steve Jones, who is in charge of policing in the Cromer and Sheringham areas, is moving to head response teams in Norwich and Great Yarmouth, the council was told.

In a farewell letter, he said recent figures showed that Norfolk was the safest county in England, which made the two resorts the safest places to live in the country - a fact which, councillors felt, should be stressed in publicity material about the area.