Staffordshire Police want to spend £19 million on a new firing range.

The early stage plans were teased out at a Police Fire and Crime Panel meeting where police commissioner Matthew Ellis was quizzed about the new range.

Mr Ellis said the plans were at business case stage and the force could do a business case on 'whatever they want'.

He explained that the firing range would be a budget decision for the next Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire after the May elections.

Mr Ellis also confirmed that Government had made no indication to him that the elections would not take place this May, after being pushed back a year due to the pandemic.

Chair of the panel, Councillor Stephen Sweeney suggested the cost of the range was actually £19 million, he said: "I think the £19 million is the sort of thing this panel could probably do with having a look at and making comments on the business case. A firing range at £19 million, I'd presume it's a lot more than just a firing range."

Mr Ellis replied: "Just to be clear this will be a decision for the new commissioner, whoever it is. I couldn't stop them, they can do a business case on whatever they like.

"I've had an approach from another commissioner to say, 'shouldn't we be sharing this?'

"I have a great view that it's worth looking at. The force are very clear that they would like to do this specifically for Staffordshire."

He added: "It will be a decision for the new commissioner which way they go. And I've only this week received a communication from a police and crime commissioner colleague, reinforcing the fact that they too would like to look at doing it jointly.

"But I don't think the current chief constable of Staffordshire wants to go down that route. But there is a long way to go and this will be several months down the line. The new commissioner and this panel will have a view to what their thoughts are on the direction of travel."

Details are yet to emerge as to where the site would be in Staffordshire.

In 2017, Mr Ellis signed off an £145,000 spend on a 'bullet catcher' canopy at the force's current firing range in Swynnerton.

A Staffordshire Police spokeswoman said: "Work is progressing to prepare a full business case for consideration by the commissioner regarding the force's future firearms training venue within an operations hub to meet future training and operational needs."