Talks are being sought with Police Scotland in a bid to preserve local policing of communities throughout Perth and Kinross.
Under a recently-announced police plan to axe staffing at 62 stations across the country, public counter services at Auchterarder, Blairgowrie, Crieff and Kinross are all at risk.
Amid claims that the move could reduce public access to officers, hurt local policing, and even lead to the closure of police stations, a motion will be lodged with Perth and Kinross Council on Wednesday.
Put forward by the Liberal Democrat group, it asks the local authority to enter into a dialogue with Police Scotland to try to establish the body’s long-term proposals.
“I am really concerned about Police Scotland’s plans,” said Councillor Willie Wilson, who is making the motion.
“The closure of public counters is a backward step and could be the forerunner of the wholesale shutting down of police stations throughout Perth and Kinross.
“I liked the philosophy of our former chief constable, John Vine, who, when in charge of Tayside Police, took steps to develop much closer links between his officers and the general public.
“I am very worried that all he tried to achieve will be lost.”
Police Scotland has said the changes are part of efforts by the new single national force to save more than £4 million and standardise services.
A report to the Scottish Police Authority revealed wide disparities between levels of service and opening hours ranging from three hours to 24 hours a day, and two days a week to 365 days a year at the 214 public counters currently operating within Scotland.
It also put forward evidence from the old forces reflecting a reduced demand for public counter services across the country.
While there would be cuts in some areas, opening hours at some stations would be increased as a result of the proposals.
Councillor Lewis Simpson, a former member of Tayside Police Board, said that he, too, has doubts about the closures.
“To work effectively, the police must work in partnership with the citizens they are there to serve and so the move to centralise policing functions is certainly worrying.
“I have doubts about the wisdom of shedding large numbers of civilian backroom staff.
“If these men and women were sitting twiddling their fingers then this is a sensible decision, but I don’t think they were.
“I am sure they are performing vital roles and that the duties they currently carry out will now most likely have to be done by uniformed officers, taking them away from what people want them to be doing fighting crime in our communities.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, Willie Rennie MSP, has long been sceptical about the benefits of scrapping local police forces.
He has backed the motion, saying: “Closing police stations to the public is a retrograde step based on flawed evidence, which could have long-term impacts on the way the police works with the public.
“Scrapping local police forces was the first step on this path but now we see the closure of emergency control rooms and, now, police stations to the public.
“The Scottish Government must think again.”