POLICE STATION PLANS ARE CHAOTIC AND INACCESSIBLE

10.54.10am GMT Wed 28th Nov 2007

Commenting on the publication of plans for the future of local police stations, Liberal Democrat Policing spokesperson on the London Assembly, Dee Doocey, said:

"The consultation on the future of police stations in London has been a disgrace right from the very start. They have learned nothing from the mistakes they made at the start of the consultation in areas such as Teddington.

'The Met do not seem to understand the meaning of the word consultation - this is merely a public information exercise. If the Met really want to engage with the public, they should be holding public meetings open to all local residents rather than asking the public to write or phone in responses to an 18 page document. The Met should be advertising these plans more widely in the local press and make it free and easy for Londoners to respond.

'The police have said that no police stations will be closed unless and until facilities are put in place which are at least as good as existing ones. It is essential that new sites and facilities have the consent of local people. Safer Neighbourhood Teams must be based in areas where the public have access to them.

'Any former police station buildings should be retained for use by the local community, not sold off to private developers."