31 October 2008

Cop shop closures to be reviewed



News

Cop shop closures to be reviewed

Wednesday, 29 October 2008

Streatham police station could be closed

Streatham police station could be closed

TWO police stations have won a stay of execution after the Met’s governing body agreed to review the decision to cut them.

Met Police Authority (MPA) members will look again at a major reshuffle of Lambeth police proposed by the force’s asset management plan.

Implementation of the plan was set to run alongside borough commander Sharon Rowe’s reorganisation of the borough command structure.

Under the reshuffle – named Operation Walrus II – the borough looks set to lose one command centre at Streatham and the town’s superintendent.

Lambeth will be run from the two other existing command centres in Kennington and Brixton, overseeing policing in the north and south of the borough.

The smaller Cavendish Road police station in Clapham also faces the axe under the asset management plan because its facilities are not up to the job.

Instead, the Met proposed setting up new fast response centres in the borough and using Streatham and Cavendish Road for just front counter services.

The plans have sparked a campaign to save the threatened police stations, with protesters saying they should be refurbished.

And in response, at a meeting of the MPA’s finance committee on Thursday, members agreed to set up a special panel to review the proposals.

Streatham Lib Dem councillor Julian Heather told the committee about strong opposition to the plans from residents.

He said: “Residents want real police stations staffed by real police officers – not just a police shopfront as is currently being proposed.”

Chris Nicholson, the Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Streatham, also handed in a 2,200-signature petition against the closures.

He said: “I am pleased that the MPA has agreed to set up a panel to review the closure plans.

"We have won a battle but we have still some way to go to win the war to save our local police stations.

“We will be looking to ensure that there is proper consultation with residents so that they have the opportunity to give their views on the plans.”

Email: leon.watson@slp.co.uk

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