Hornchurch Police station to stay open as Havering Council buys site and leases it back to the Met
Hornchurch police station - Credit: Archant
After years of campaigning Hornchurch Police Station will remain open!
Havering Police officers in a streetwatch team meeting at Hornchurch Police station - Credit: Archant
Havering Council has agreed to take over the site from the Met Police, and will lease it back to them, guaranteeing a police presence in the area
Councillor Damian White, leader of Havering Council, said today, Friday, September 7: “We are delighted to have reached an agreement with MOPAC [the London Mayor’s Office for Police and Crime], following the mayor’s appalling decision to strip Havering of a key police base in the south of the borough.
“Residents have told us that they want to see more police officers on the streets in their neighbourhoods, and by stepping in and refusing to accept MOPAC’s short-sightedness, the council has secured the future of the police station in Hornchurch.
“The outcome of the mayor’s savage cuts to local policing would have meant residents in this part of Havering having to travel to Romford for their nearest police station. The result of our careful negotiations means we have protected a vital service for our residents.
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“This is a great victory for the council. We understand and value the importance of a physical police presence across the borough, and our actions clearly show that we will do everything in our power to ensure the safety and peace of mind of our residents.”In November last year it was announced that all but one of Havering’s police station would be closing over the next few years to help the Met make savings of around £400m.
In July 2017, MOPAC put forward proposals to close both Hornchurch and Rainham police stations along with seven Safer Neighbourhood bases where members of the public can contact the Police’s Safer Neighbourhood teams face-to-face.
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Such a move would have left only one 24-hour publicly accessible police station in the borough – Romford.
Former leader of Havering Council, Councillor Roger Ramsey said that this plan was “short-sighted” and called for legal action over the “deeply flawed” public consultation held at the time, about the closure of Rainham and Hornchurch police stations.
However several thousand signatures later, and this plan has now changed.
