Letter To The Editor: Wimbledon Police Station Closure Plans


Dear Editor,

I would like to thank all those residents who have signed our petition over the summer to save Wimbledon police station.

Working together with local MP Stephen Hammond, we have collected over 4000 signatures. If you haven’t yet signed, it’s not too late to do so though. Just go to: www.savewimbledonpolicestation.co.uk

As many people have pointed out, it is ridiculous to close a police station so well located right in Wimbledon town centre with its large night-time economy and major transport hub, both of which need policing.

Unfortunately this seems to be a deliberate decision by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to target Wimbledon without considering the impact on levels of crime and anti-social behaviour here. He has already cut police funds by removing £38 million from the police staffing budget, yet now he plans to close our police station.

Together with residents, Merton Conservatives will continue fighting hard against the Mayor’s proposals. Following our motion at Full Council, we plan to go to City Hall shortly to present the petition to Sadiq Khan in person and make the case for retaining Wimbledon police station. Hopefully, when presented with thousands of signatures, he will reconsider these misjudged plans.

However, if we are to succeed in convincing the Mayor he is wrong to close our local police station and sell off the land, it is also crucial that as many people as possible respond to the Mayor’s consultation document at www.london.gov.uk/public-access

As the online questionnaire seems to have been designed deliberately to be difficult to complete, residents may find it easier to email comments directly to consultation@mopac.london.gov.uk or by post c/o MOPAC at City Hall. All responses must be received by Friday 6 October 2017.

Councillor David Simpson
Merton Conservative Spokesman for Community Safety and Enforcement

September 15, 2017