Councillor Clarke made the comments following a public meeting in Toome to discuss the closure of the village's police station.

When police chief Simon Walls was quizzed as to where Toome residents who wished to report a crime, or who were subject to bail conditions or had to produce driving documents, should go, he informed those gathered they would have to travel to Antrim police station, despite Randalstown being closer.

Both Cllr. Clarke and Sinn Fein councillor Anne Marie Logue pointed out the inconvenience this would cause, with Cllr. Clarke questioning why thousands of pounds had been spent refurbishing Randalstown if it could not be used by the public.

"If Randalstown is a non-reporting station, why was an extensive programme of refurbishment carried out to create a new reception area? Cllr. Clarke said.

Chief Insp. Walls said the reception area was for receiving people, but Cllr. Clarke pointed: "What is the point of a new reception area if the people of Randalstown and Toome cannot use it.

"It makes more sense that if Toome police station is to close, and with the work that has been carried out in Randalstown police station, that it be the ideal place for the people of Toome to use rather than having to travel to Antrim."

In relation to policing of Toome and Randalstown, Chief Insp. Walls said a Neighbourhood Policing Team served the two areas and was based in Randalstown police station (pictured below).

He admitted that Randalstown was a "home for them (the Neighbourhood Policing Team] to keep their equipment and vehicles" as opposed to a reporting station.

"It's a non-reporting station and is a patrol base for the Randalstown team to work from; it's only open when they are there but they are more likely to be out on patrol than in the station," Chief Insp. Walls said.

Speaking to the Antrim Times after the meeting, Cllr. Clarke said the whole point of a new reception area was to bring the public in and make it more accessible.

"A huge amount of money was spent to make the station more appealing but yet the public are not allowed in now," Cllr. Clarke said.

He added: "It's been turned into a glorified base for officers and is unable to be used the public and it's taxpayers and the local community who are paying for this decision.

"The station was closed for quite a while when the work was carried out and we were promised it was going to be opened again; it makes no sense."

A police spokesperson said that for the past three years Randalstown has not been a reporting station for the public, but rather a base for the local Neighbourhood Policing Team.

"This gives officers the flexibility to be available when and where they are needed most, rather than being tied down at the station at fixed hours. Nearby Antrim Police Station is open to the public 24/7," the spokesperson said.

Area Commander Chief Inspector Simon Walls said the current arrangements had been put in place to free up more officers to provide a better service for local people: "It is vital for the quality of service provided to the people of Randalstown to have the officers on foot patrol on the ground rather than tied up in the station on the off-chance that somebody might call in with a driver's licence. It allows us to be more flexible and responsive to local needs.

"The previous appearance of Randalstown Station was more fitting for a different era of policing and any refurbishment has been made in an attempt to make the building more pleasing and a better fit for the neighbourhood."