Mayor must reverse Met closure of front counters

The Met recently announced a number of changes and closures to front desks across the capital as part of ‘tough choices’ in light of budget constraints.

The London Assembly has today called on the Mayor to reverse the decision to close five police front counters and the decision to remove a 24/7 police station front counter from every borough.

The Assembly also called for the Mayor to publish the severely delayed Estates Strategy, including details of any frontline police stations the Mayor is planning on selling.

Emma Best AM, who proposed the motion, said:

“I am grateful to the Assembly for supporting my motion calling on the Mayor of London to reverse the planned cuts to police front counters which will see large areas of London left without full coverage.

“We know that these counters fulfil a variety of functions for Londoners who are rightfully concerned about losing access to them, and I hope that the Mayor now will listen and take action.”

The full text of the motion is:

This Assembly notes that the Mayor has repeatedly promised to ensure there is at least one 24/7 police station front counter open in every London borough.

This Assembly wishes to highlight the following public commitments made by the Mayor:

• In 2017, the Mayor made a commitment to maintain one 24-hour front counter in each borough in the Public Access Strategy.
• In 2019, the Mayor stated that police station front counters would stay open 24/7 in every borough: "we will retain one 24-hour front counter in each borough.”
• In 2021, the Mayor stated: “I am happy to continue to commit to our Public Access Strategy pledge to there being a 24/7 front counter in every borough in London.”
• In 2022, the Mayor stated: “I continue to commit to our Public Access Strategy pledge to there being a 24/7 front counter in every borough in London.”
• In 2024, the Mayor committed to keep a police station open in every borough in his manifesto
• In September 2024 – during Mayor’s Question Time, the Mayor stated: “It is the policy to make sure every borough has one 24-hour police station front counter. We are trying to make police bases as near to or inside the ward where the officers police.”

This Assembly regrets that, despite these repeated assurances, the Mayor has failed to honour this commitment in the year following his election, resulting in closures or limited operations of police station front counters.

This Assembly calls on the Mayor to:

• Publish the severely delayed Estates Strategy, including details of any frontline police stations the Mayor is planning on selling.
• Reverse the decision to close 5 front counters.
• Reverse the decision to remove a 24/7 police station front counter from every borough.
• Work with the Met to review crimes reported at front counters and publish an impact assessment which considers future vulnerabilities and who is most likely to be impacted by these closures. This should include a focus on how the Met’s response to violence against women and girls is likely to be impacted.

The meeting can be viewed via webcast or YouTube.

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