Agenda item

Presentation followed by discussion – Borough Commander, Charles Griggs

Borough Commander Charles Griggs, explained that the London Metropolitan Police (Met.) was in a difficult position as the last Comprehensive Spending Review gave the Met. a budget gap of £514 million. There were tough decisions to be made by the Commissioner and Management Board in conjunction with the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime. The new Deputy Mayor for Policing, Stephen Greenhalgh had  recently discussed in the Evening Standard the scale of the challenge ahead.

The Met. had announced that it plans for a change in structure. Over the next 6 to 12 months territorial policing within boroughs would change. The Safer Neighbourhood teams (SNTs) would have a significant uplift in officer numbers with additional tasks and hours covered. There was a plan to shut a number of police stations in London which over time had become no longer fit for purpose. Dulwich Police Station would be sold as its operating costs of £275,000 were beyond its use and value. Currently there was nothing to replace it and the plan was for existing SNTs to operate from Camberwell Police Station. Peckham would become the centralised response base for the whole borough.

Several communities in London were concerned about local police station closures, so the Deputy Mayor for Policing would chair a challenge panel at which London Assembly Members could challenge any decisions over closures.

The chair explained that Mr Greenhalgh had been invited to attend the meeting but he had a prior commitment. Residents were encouraged to write to their Assembly Members, Caroline Pidgeon and Val Shawcross, as well as Mr Greenhalgh to express their views.

In response to questions the Borough Commander responded that:

• Camberwell Police Station was currently being used to full capacity but an enhanced neighbourhood team could be added to the premises.

• The Met. had changed the way people could access it. Victims of crime were visited by officers on request and should call 999 or 101. The police was funded via government grants and council precept. Officer numbers were historical and based on a formula currently under review. Residents could support officers by reporting crime and getting involved in the community in a positive way.

• Crime across the borough was falling. The use of the hospital site was something residents could lobby for. The police’s property services department would be interested in discussing the locations of future police stations. That would include factors including section 106 contributions and making the most of available resources. The police base in the Kingswood estate had a lease until 2019 and was likely to continue for the time being. Conversations had taken place on improving its effectiveness.

• Regarding transport concerns, officers would use public transport occasionally and that would be a visible police presence. The vehicle fleet had been cut 10% in 2012 and future vehicle deployment would depend on the requirements of the neighbourhood teams.

• The police offered different ways for the public to access officers, beyond the front desk and patrols. Among those were surgeries and street briefings. In future, they would advertise their presence at a particular time and location. Police response times to call-outs were exceeding current targets even though the number of calls had increased sharply.

• Cross-borough policing was ongoing and that work included the effective use of police buildings. The message from the Deputy Mayor was that every borough would have one 24-hour front counter service.

• The Deputy Mayor’s challenge panel would take place in October / November 2012.

Members said they would lobby hard against the closure of East Dulwich Police Station.

The chair of the Southwark Police & Community Consultative Group (SPCCG) said the group’s next meeting would probably be in October. Ahead of that, all chairs of ward panels would be consulted and their ideas reported into the process.

Members agreed to write a joint letter to the Deputy Mayor for Police which would explore options and offer solutions for a local Police station.

Sergeant Stewart Turnbull, Village Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT), reported that the three Dulwich wards consistently had some of the lowest crime rates in the borough.

Sergeant Warren Gregory, College SNT, said that since schools had returned after the holidays there had been three robberies involving pupils. A new officer would be joining College SNT in October 2012.