Maldon councillors' decision to deny the police a presence at Burnham's One Place centre is perverse and hard to justify.

Any opportunity to make the police more accessible to people in the town is surely to be welcomed. Offering informal access to officers, alongside housing, community and tourist information and other services at One Place would encourage greater engagement with the police.

Many people would feel more comfortable talking to police in a place they already visited to ask questions about benefits, housing or other council functions than in a police station.

There has been a veiled suggestion that rejecting the One Place proposal might lead to the reopening of the former police station in Station Road.

Realistically, however, refusing to allow the force an office in one location in Burnham is hardly likely to encourage it to consider other, more expensive options which have already been abandoned.

Councillors raised concerns about parking. It is true this area does not have a surfeit of parking spaces. However, parking was never raised as an issue by the planning officers in recommending approval.

Parking was also not considered a problem when Maldon Council - yes the very same council as is now raising objections - took on One Place as a community resource and drop-in centre last year. Its central location means the majority of users come on foot. There is no evidence that allowing the police into the centre would substantially alter that pattern of use.

The centre performs an important function for the community in Burnham, as did its predecessor on the quay. Diane Defontaine and her colleagues are a mine of useful information for local people. It also provides a first-rate tourist information service and acts as a focal point for local voluntary groups, youth organisations and bodies such as the festival association and the carnival committee.

When the council is looking at costs, such a service will often (erroneously in my view) be considered marginal to its central responsibilities. As a stand alone service, One Place would be vulnerable in the event of a future council merger or spending review. As a joint venture - with Essex Police covering part of the cost - it would feel its future was more assured.

For all these reasons, I would urge councillors to think again and reverse the area committee's vote on this proposal when it reaches the next stage in the decision-making process.

Tim Aves
Park Road
Burnham