THERE are fears that Wantage is turning into a ghost town, because of the amount of services being lost.

Councillors say the town has a “battle on its hands” after it faces losing more key public facilities, councillors say.

In recent years, the town has lost its magistrates’ court, cinema, registrar’s office and the Vale of White Horse District Council’s one-stop shop.

Now, the police station, which is next to the empty court in Church Street is to be shut and relocated under a Thames Valley Police savings drive.

And cash for the town’s Sweatbox youth centre and Grove library will be cut as part of Oxfordshire County Council cuts.

Mayor Jim Sibbald said: “They are trying to turn Wantage into a hamlet.”

He branded the moves “very short sighted” saying 2,500 new homes will be built in Grove and 1,500 more in east Wantage.

Wendy Stimpson, from Wantage West Neighbourhood Action Group, which brings together police and residents, said: “I fear it will be an absolute disaster if the police station closes. I see the crime level going way up.”

Former prison officer Michael Kelly, 55, of Stockham Park, said: “It is disgusting.”

A Thames Valley Police authority report proposed “procuring an out of town building for the response and neighbourhood teams” for £758,000.

It would get £930,000 for selling the station and magistrates’ court after buying the court freehold for £310,000. It has pledged to retain a counter service in the town.

Force spokesman Rebecca Webber said: “We are exploring opportunities to provide buildings which better meet our needs in terms of service delivery to the public and value for money.”

With the loss of cash to the Sweatbox, at King Alfred’s School’s east site in Springfield Road, and Grove Library, council chiefs have called on volunteers to run services instead. It has to save £155m by 2015.

But former Wantage mayor and district councillor Jenny Hannaby said: “We are having more houses and less services.

“Wantage has a battle on its hands and we will have to look to the community again to provide the services the council is intent on withdrawing.”

Councillor Zoe Patrick said: “They are getting people to come forward to try and run the services themselves, but how practical that will be is yet to be found out.”

County council leader Keith Mitchell said: “It is uncomfortable, but we have a national crisis in terms of the financial situation and we are all going to bear the pain. Petitions and protests will not be effective.”

  • A bid by bookmakers Stan James to user the former one-stop shop site in Grove Street was rejected by the council’s development control committee over fears it would take up needed retail space.