The front counter at Gosport police station is set to reopen next year, Hampshire's newly re-elected police and crime commissioner has revealed.

Conservative police and crime commissioner (PCC) Donna Jones has been sworn in after winning decisively last week, winning 70,000 more votes than her nearest rival.

She revealed that contractors are set to move in to begin renovations at Gosport police station "in the next four to five months", with an opening date set as "some point in 2025".

The station closed in 2015, and it had looked like the station would be replaced with a block of 88 flats.

Meanwhile, her office is soon to exchange and complete the purchase of a new police station in Petersfield.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Getting the public better connected to their police service is absolutely a priority.”

After swearing her oath on Wednesday at Portsmouth Magistrates Court, Ms Jones has become the first PCC to be re-elected in Hampshire.

She said it was a “tiring” campaign trail but noted key issues raised on doorsteps included anti-social behaviour plaguing neighbourhoods and residents’ calls for increased police visibility.

She also highlighted a notable rise in complaints regarding “large-scale car meets and racing” occurring across the county over the past 18 months.

Ms Jones added that from April 1, some 75 police officers have been added to the force in addition to the 650 that have been recruited over the last three years.

“Both the chief constable and I want to get to 1,000 more police officers for two real reasons, firstly because the population of the county has increased over the last decade,” she said.

“Secondary because the complexity of crime has changed and that was expedited during Covid when a lot of organised crime gangs moved operations online through encrypted networks – we really do need specialist police officers working online.”

She said the local elections, which saw almost half of all defending Conservative councillors across the country lose their seats, was a “difficult day for every Conservative politician” but her majority has given her a “real purpose” for the next four years.

Her immediate focus is on drafting the Police and Crime Plan, outlining policing priorities for Chief Constable Scott Chilton. She added “the most important thing” about the plan is the public consultation which is expected to commence in the coming weeks.