The custody cells at Ashford police station are to close next March.

The Kent Police Authority (KPA) agreed to approve senior police officers’ proposals to close the station’s custody suite at their meeting on Wednesday.

Ann Barnes, chair of the KPA said: "Authority members unanimously agreed to the closure on the basis that the Force reports back to our members on financial savings and creates an improved communication and consultation plan."

Ina report to the KPA, Chief Constable Michael Fuller said the Ashford custody suite was one of the least busy in the county and too expensive to run at nearly £200,000 last year.

Police say the suite is normally only half full and required 314 Sergeant and 219 detention officer shifts to run it during 2008-9.

Those working at the Ashford suite are expected to be redeployed across the county, and, in particular to Folkestone.

Police say the closure will also free officers to go on the beat.

On average it takes an hour and a half to book a prisoner into custody with an officer off the streets and behind a desk for about four hours filling out paperwork.

Mr Fuller added: "The closure of Ashford custody suite would allow staff to be redeployed across the other suites; particularly Folkestone.

"The redeployment of custody staff would see streamlining of the detainee booking-in process, significant reductions in dwell time and provide the opportunity to return staff to front line duties quickly.

"The closure is confined to the custody suite only and there will be no other impact to the locality or diminution of uniform patrol resources at the venue. All resourcing of uniform patrols remain the same and there will be no reduction in officers patrolling the Ashford area."

The eight cells and one detention room will be kept should they be needed

The closure is going ahead despite opposition from borough councilors and parish councils over the extra time it would take to transport prisoners to and from the Folkestone custody suite.