Residents will have to wait even longer to have their say about plans to close two police stations in Havering.

A consultation meeting into the proposals has been postponed to Monday March 4, instead of Thursday February 21 as was previously advertised.

The proposals, which form part of the Mayor of London’s draft police and crime plan could mean that Hornchurch police station, Rainham police office, and counters in Harold Hill and a Romford shopping centre could all be closed.

Only Romford police station – out of existing Havering police sites where the public can visit to report crime – will definitely be retained.

More than 5,000 people signed a petition against the closure to Hornchurch Police Station last year.

The consultation meeting is set to take place at the Salvation Army Centre in High Street, Romford, but it will only last for one hour from 8pm to 9pm.

Cllr Barbara Matthews (Residents’ Assocation, Hacton) slammed the plans, she said: “A one hour consultation on this plan? It’s an absolute joke.

“I don’t think they’ve taken into account the geography of an area, and they are planning to leave open the one station where you can’t park nearby?

“How are disabled residents supposed to visit the station?”

Deputy Mayor for Policing Stephen Greenhalgh said: “The changes proposed by the Mayor will give London the police force it needs for the twenty-first century and reconnect Londoners with the first public service.

“By putting bobbies before buildings and being smarter about how we use budgets we can not only create a police force to be proud of but one that we can afford.”