‘Keep our cops in our town centre’

Tuesday, 10 July 2012

By Kate Gould

CAMPAIGNERS trying to save a borough’s police station are to write to the Met to seek reassurances on its future.

Sydenham Police Station in Dartmouth Road is one of six in South London which is being considered for possible closure as part of the Met’s plans to streamline services and cut costs.

Ward councillor Chris Best is backing calls by residents and the Sydenham Society to keep a police presence in the town centre.

Cllr Best raised the issue at a Lewisham council meeting on Thursday of last week.

She said she wanted reassurances that officers from the Sydenham safer neighbourhood team would have a base in the town rather than being moved to Catford.

She said: “It is vital that safer neighbourhood teams have a local base in Sydenham, ensuring the area receives reasonable response times for urgent calls.

“The proposal to relocate the police services in Catford will have adverse implications for community safety in the south-west of Lewisham not least because of the travelling times as there is no direct bus route between Sydenham and Catford Police Station located in Bromley Road.

“We are now writing to the Metropolitan Police to ask for their comments.”

The Met is currently reviewing all of its 800 properties.

Police bosses say they are looking at how people access services and how the Met can make the buildings it owns more efficient.

Clapham, in Union Grove, Gipsy Hill, Brockley, Sydenham, East Dulwich and Rotherhithe police stations are all being considered for closure as part of efforts to save £600million in the three years to April 2014 following Government funding cuts.

A Met spokeswoman said: “We agree Catford is not the most suitable base but, as we have said previously, no formal decisions have been made in relation to Sydenham police station.

“The Met Police Service is reviewing the whole of the property estate to ensure we are making the best use of it and identifying efficiency savings that can be reinvested into operational policing.”

Email: kate.gould@slp.co.uk

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