Local Assembly Member John Biggs has called on the Mayor of London to open urgent negotiations with the Coalition Government to stop the loss of half of London’s police front counters. In Newham 25 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and 38 police officer posts have been lost since 2010. East Ham Police Station is to be closed.
At the London Assembly Plenary meeting this morning, a motion was passed condemning the £148million cuts that have been forced on the Metropolitan Police's budget in the next financial year.
Funding to the Metropolitan Police Service has been cut by the Coalition Government by 20 per cent. Over 891 PCSOs are likely to be cut, up to 65 front counters or police stations closed across London, and borough commanders will be merged.
Across London since May 2010, the Met has lost:
- 1,956 police officers
- 1,800 PCSOs
- Over 1,330 civilian staff
Local Labour London Assembly Member John Biggs said:
“The Met Police is facing a dramatic 20 per cent budget cut and is in dire financial straits. The Coalition Government is cutting the police budget too far and too fast.
“In Newham we have lost 38.8 full time equivalent police officer posts and 25 PCSOs. With the cuts now starting to bite even deeper we will undoubtedly lose even more as well as East Ham Police station is to be closed.
“The Mayor has failed to get a good deal for Londoners from Government and we are now seeing the impact of cuts on our front line services. They are cutting too far and too fast, they need to urgently re-think their plans.
“Morale in the Metropolitan Police force is dangerously low. It is time the Mayor woke-up to the seriousness of the cuts facing London’s police service.
“It is time the Mayor went back to Whitehall and fought London’s corner to secure a fairer financial settlement for policing the capital, one that would preserve the hard fought success of a decade of falling crime in London.”
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