Streatham Police Station closure plans to be dropped

Local residents and Streatham Liberal Democrats are celebrating the news that the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) is planning to drop its plans to close Streatham Police station.

A panel of the MPA was set up last year to reconsider the controversial plans to close police stations across London following vocal protests from residents and Liberal Democrats across the capital. In Streatham local Liberal Democrats led by Parliamentary Spokesman Chris Nicholson collected a petition of more than 2000 signatures opposing the closure. The petition was presented to a meeting of the MPA last year which as a result decided to set up the panel to reconsider the plans. It is understood that the panel is now recommending that the MPA proceeds with the proposals in a few Boroughs where there was support for the plans but will drop the plans for Lambeth.

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Streatham Chris Nicholson commented, “This is fantastic news for Streatham and shows that people can make their voice heard. Crime is a real concern for Streatham residents. The proposals to close Streatham Police Station and move police response teams to an industrial estate elsewhere in Lambeth would have been a disaster for the fight against crime in our area.”

Liberal Democrat member of the MPA Caroline Pidgeon added “I have never been happy with the plans to close Streatham Police Station and many others across the capital. These plans were pushed by Labour Assembly Members who wanted to sell off stations across London. Ultimately we need to see investment in Streatham to ensure police officers and local residents have decent facilities in the police station.”