Talks are being sought over the prospect of a shared service arrangement to keep police counter provision in place in closure-threatened Angus burghs.
Under a recently announced police plan to axe public service counters at more than 60 stations across the country, Montrose, Brechin and Carnoustie are all at risk.
The plans were described as the “thin end of the wedge” at the latest full meeting of Angus Council, where elected members agreed to register the authority’s opposition as part of the ongoing consultation process.
Under the unanimously-backed motion put forward by depute council leader Paul Valentine, councillors have also called for a letter to be sent seeking the attendance of a police board member for the area to explain the rationale behind the planned closures.
Council chief executive Richard Stiff will also be asking for talks to see if shared counters, which already operate successfully in Monifieth and Kirriemuir, might be set up in other towns.
Mr Valentine said: “The intention of this motion is to send a clear message that Angus will not simply accept the actions of national organisations.
“We will fight for what we believe is right for our communities irrespective of who makes the decisions.”
Montrose councillor David May said: “I am completely opposed to this consultation and upset at the restricted way in which the consultation has been done, with very little notice for some of our community councils.”
Mr May failed in a bid to strengthen the wording of the motion, with Councillor Rob Murray favouring an approach aimed at encouraging dialogue.
“We want to open discussions to try and reverse the decision of find solutions and going in chucking bricks is not a way to get them round the table,” he said.
Carnoustie member Bill Bowles said he did not feel the review paper for Brechin and Carnoustie painted an accurate picture of counter service user number because of the opening timings.
“It’s a slow degradation of services in Angus and I am really concerned to see our policing and our funding going to the city areas. The thin end of the wedge is starting to sneak in here,” he said.