MP Theresa Villiers has welcomed news that the Met will provide new premises for neighbourhood police teams currently located in Barnet police station if the Mayor persists with his plan to sell off the building.
The Deputy Mayor for Policing, Sophie Linden, has written to Theresa saying Barnet police station will not be shut down and sold until a base is found for ward police teams which enables them to reach their areas in 20 minutes by either walking or cycling.
The Chipping Barnet MP, who opposes the closure of the station, had previously urged the Mayor not to leave local officers without premises in her constituency.
The letter from Sophie Lindon said the station closure is on hold until a location for the Dedicated Ward Officers (DWOs) assigned to Oakleigh, High Barnet, Totteridge, and Underhill wards can be found.
“Their relocation is being reviewed and I can assure you that the disposal of Barnet police station will not be completed before an alternative location for the DWOs which meets the 20-minute journey time criteria has been found and implemented,” it said.
The letter added that the small police office at 13 Cat Hill will be retained for DWOs for the Coppetts, Brunswick Park, and East Barnet areas.
“This halt to the station closure until a new location for neighbourhood officers is secured is welcome. I had appealed to the Mayor for an alternative base for officers in Chipping Barnet if the station were to shut down,” said Theresa.
“The acceptance from the Deputy Mayor that this is needed is a partial victory because it acknowledges that a visible police presence in the Chipping Barnet constituency requires physical premises here for officers.”
“We absolutely need to have our neighbourhood officers as close by as possible to give residents reassurance and visible policing.”
“However, I remain strongly opposed to the closure of Barnet police station. This partial reprieve announced by the Deputy Mayor is important, but will not adequately replace the police station and its front desk.”
“This news that police officers will stay on at Barnet police station until alternative accommodation is found for them in the neighbourhood gives us further time to make the case to save our local police station. So long as the building has not been sold to a developer, there is always a chance that we can still save it. My campaign on this will continue,” Theresa concluded.
The front desk at Barnet police station shut some time ago but the building in Barnet High Street has stayed in use by officers, including neighbourhood police teams. If closure of the station went ahead without provision of new premises, all officers would have to travel from Colindale, several miles away.
Click here to sign Theresa's petition to #SaveBarnetPoliceStation.
