IT was the end of an era when Taunton Police Station closed for good on Sunday.

Officers and staff have vacated the ageing premises in Shuttern and relocated to new offices across town in Taunton Deane Borough Council's Deane House HQ in Belvedere Road.

The listed buildings in Shuttern, which have a 250-year connection with law and order, are now too large for the police base in the county town since most offices and support staff transferred to a custody and investigation centre in Bridgwater in September 2014.

They are also impractical and in need of considerable investment, with some of the premises originally forming part of the town jail in the 1750s.

The new station contains an enquiry desk opening from 8.30am to 4.30pm on weekdays, except Wednesdays, when it will open an hour later.

It will offer open-plan working in a flexible space that can be adapted for future needs.

Chief Inspector Lisa Simpson said: "It will significantly improve our working environment and most importantly will maintain our policing presence in Taunton.

"We're sad to leave the old building given the history for generations of officers and staff, but it is no longer efficient or practical.

"Crucially, co-locating with our colleagues in Taunton Deane provides a one-stop-shop for our communities to access police and council services, allowing us all to get to the heart of complex issues much more swiftly and with the right team."

Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mounstevens said: "Co-locating and joining our partners not only ensures value for money for residents and taxpayers, it is also more convenient for local people by offering multiple services in one place."

Council leader Cllr John Williams said: "Deane House has been undergoing significant improvements to be far more energy efficient and to provide a better experience for our customers and working environment for our staff.

"We are looking forward to having the police join us in the building, where together we can offer local people greater convenience by having multiple services under one roof. And it guarantees a new police station remaining in Taunton for the foreseeable future."

The upgraded building will also have the potential to accommodate other partners in the public or private sector in future.