AN MP has pledged to join police officers on the beat in Bishop's Waltham to see for himself the effects of a controversial staffing strategy.

The Daily Echo revealed last week how ten officers, two sergeants and an inspector will move from the village's police station to Park Gate.

Police chiefs believe that by creating a larger pool of officers at Park Gate, they will be able to provide more effective 24-hour cover.

But locals have hit back, claiming that response times will be longer and that

valuable local knowledge will be lost.

Following talks with the police, Winchester MP Mark Oaten says he is satisfied that cover will not be detrimentally effected, but he is going to hit the beat to make sure.

He said: "I am comfortable that the police are trying to restructure with the interest of providing more cover in the Meon Valley area.

"But I am going down to the area with the police to see how it all operates.

"I have asked if I can go down and have a meeting and talk to them and see how it operates in practice.

"I would like to spend some hours out with them on the rural beat and see first-hand how they cover such a large rural area."

Chief Insp Kerry Bedford said: "The changes will enable us to properly provide 24-hour cover of the Meon Valley area by improving staff supervision.

"It will improve the briefing and de-briefing of those staff on 24-hour coverage, and our response to the policing needs of the communities of the Meon Valley."