Merton borough to have no ‘public-facing’ police station under new Met plan

Merton Liberal Democrats and Wimbledon MP Paul Kohler have slammed the decision to close both Wimbledon and Mitcham police front counters, leaving Merton borough with no public-facing police station for the first time in living memory.

Across London, the Met’s new front counter model will see 24/7 public access reduced to just two stations, Lewisham and Charing Cross, a drastic fall from the Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan’s previous pledge to maintain one in every borough. 

Under the Met’s final plan, Merton residents will no longer be able to report crimes face-to-face, ask for directions, hand in lost property, seek help, or access a place of safety locally.

Instead, those needing police assistance in person will have to travel to Sutton, Kingston, or Lavender Hill (Clapham Junction), stations which themselves operate on restricted hours. For someone in crisis in Mitcham late at night, the nearest 24-hour front counter could now be over 45 minutes away by public transport

Campaigners warn the closures will hit the most vulnerable hardest, including the elderly, those without internet access, and victims of domestic abuse who may be unable to safely make a phone call or travel long distances. Domestic violence charity Refuge have raised concerns about the decision.

Merton Lib Dems argue this decision represents a triple failure by Labour: locally, whose council has consistently failed to stand up for residents on this issue*; in City Hall, where the Labour Mayor has broken a central manifesto pledge and failed to maintain a 24 hr counter in every borough; and nationally, where the Labour Government’s underfunding of the Met has contributed to a £260m deficit. 

Wimbledon MP Paul Kohler said: 

“Merton Labour used to blame local problems on having a Conservative government, insisting that once Labour were in power nationally it would finally be possible to make positive change. But now Labour can’t hide, with their party running the Government, City Hall, and the local Council, they must take full responsibility for this betrayal. Residents can see clearly that this failure is theirs.”

Liberal Democrat Shadow Lead for Policing and Community Partnerships Victoria Wilson said:

“Closing Merton’s last public-facing police stations is a devastating blow for women’s safety and community trust. Every resident needs to know that there is somewhere accessible locally when they need it most.

The Liberal Democrats have called for a stronger, more accountable model of community policing, one that actually listens to women and survivors, challenges misogynistic attitudes, and ensures local officers are visible and available in our neighbourhoods. Our proposals for new advisory groups, better engagement with young people, and keeping more officers in Merton are about rebuilding trust and making our borough a place where everyone feels safe.”

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Further reading

*Labour councillors bosses failed to mention the importance of local police bases in building community policing in its submission to the Mayor’s consultation. Further reading on this here

Further reading on this story can be found here

Merton Liberal Democrats’ proposals for strengthening local policing can be found here