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Metropolitan Police commissioner
Sir Ian Blair |
Sir Ian: 'We mis-sold cop station plan'
Met chief backs 'local policing'
METROPOLITAN Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair has acknowledged
that secret plans which could see nearly all Camden’s police
stations sold have been handled badly.
Speaking as a 2,400-signature petition to save Hampstead police
station was handed to the Metropolitan Police Authority, Sir
Ian said: “I absolutely agree we must communicate our estates
strategy better in the future.”
Although Sir Ian stopped well short of pledging to save either
Hampstead or any other police station, he dismissed “any
suggestion of withdrawal from local policing”.
The Commissioner added: “We are embarking on the greatest
expansion of local policing ever in the capital.”
Sir Ian was referring to the pledge to introduce Safer Neighbourhoods
teams of a sergeant, two constables and three community support
officers in each ward in London by April next year. Based in
“shop-front” offices, the teams will be directed by
residents’ panels.
But Hampstead already has a Safer Neighbourhoods team, and plans
to sell the Edwardian police station in Rosslyn Hill would see
more than a dozen officers moved to another part of the borough.
Police chiefs maintain the run-down building is no longer affordable
or useful but campaigners want it to remain.
Presenting the petition to the MPA, which will have the final
say on the fate of all of Camden’s police stations, Hampstead
Liberal Democrat Ed Fordham said: “Hampstead is one of
the most impressive and beautiful police buildings in London.
It is seen as a symbol of police commitment to the community.
“Residents are threatening to resign from Safer Neighbourhoods
panels over this.
“We recognise the need for change and we are reasonable,
but we want the services to remain at Hampstead police station.”
Richard Sumray, the former Labour councillor who represents
Camden on the MPA, agreed that residents had not been properly
consulted.
He said: “We need a roadshow to go from borough to borough
to explain our estates strategy and how it ties in with Safer
Neighbourhoods policing.”
At a public meeting the night before, he had dismissed police
stations as “a concept we have moved on from”.
Mr Sumray added: “It is unacceptable that at the meeting
I was at last night, most residents did not know anything about
what the plans were.”
The Safer Neighbourhoods concept has been heavily promoted by
London Mayor Ken Livingstone and Sir Ian, but the plans to sell
scores of historic police stations across the capital only became
public in October last year when angry residents confronted
Borough Commander Mark Heath at a meeting.
Police property director Alan Croney has said “there is
no timetable for specific stations being dealt with”, adding
that Hampstead could be sold “in three months or in three
years – it depends when another property becomes available”. |
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