Police station’s future is under threat once again

By Cllr Kohler, Merton Liberal Democrat group

Wimbledon police station’s future is back in the balance following the publication of the Mayor of London’s Police & Crime Plan.

The plan reiterates the Mayor’s intention to further reduce the number of police stations in London, and despite representations from Merton Liberal Democrats, makes no commitment to retain Wimbledon police station in the long term.

The station was saved from a planned closure in 2018 by local Liberal Democrat councillor and parliamentary candidate Paul Kohler, who successfully took the Mayor to court to challenge the decision.

Cllr Kohler and the Merton Liberal Democrat group made a detailed submission to the consultation on the new plan emphasising the importance of retaining Wimbledon police station.

Unlike the Liberal Democrats, neither Wimbledon’s Conservative MP, Stephen Hammond, nor any other representative of the local Conservative or Labour parties, made a submission to the consultation on behalf of Wimbledon.

Mr Kohler said: “I am, yet again, disappointed the Mayor of London has refused to commit to retaining Wimbledon police station, in spite of my representations highlighting how important the police station is to the local area and community.

“I am even more disappointed that politicians from Wimbledon’s Conservative and Labour parties, including Wimbledon MP Stephen Hammond, failed to make any representations to the Mayor ahead of the publication of his plan.

“I was able to save Wimbledon police station from immediate closure four years ago by taking the Mayor to court, but we cannot afford to be complacent about the police station’s long-term future.

“I pledge not to rest on my laurels, and I will continue to do all I can to ensure that Wimbledon police station’s long-term future is secured.”