Community campaign against Sydenham police station closure (From News Shopper)

Community campaign against Sydenham police station closure

9:59am Wednesday 25th January 2012 in Top Stories By Mark Chandler

ONE of Lewisham borough’s five police stations could be closed down and sold off, campaigners say.

Lewisham police say no decision has been reached to shut Sydenham station, but a community campaign has already begun to save it.

The Sydenham Safer Neighbourhood team panel raised the alarm, saying the Dartmouth Road building will be shut and the area’s Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs) relocated to Catford police station.

Panel chairman Angela Hall said: “We’ll be fighting it.

“We hold our SNTs in high regard. If they’re moved out of our area how are they going to do their job properly?”

Ms Hall said: “If it closes, they need to look at a local alternative and that will cost them money in rental.”

Sydenham Society chairman Annabel McLaren said: “We’ve heard police are on course to close the station by the end of the financial year.”

She added: “We are setting up an online petition.

“We also want people to write to the borough commander.”

Sydenham police station is open from 10am to 6pm on weekdays and houses SNTs for Forest Hill, Sydenham and Perry Vale.

Ward councillor Cllr Liam Curran said he was more concerned about the SNTs than the building.

He said: “If they close it and don’t use any replacement offices in the wards it covers, we’re going to lose out.”

Cllr Curran said: “SNTs are great and people like them. Putting them halfway across the borough will reduce their effectiveness.”

A spokesman for Lewisham police said all the Met’s buildings were being reviewed to see where savings could be made.

She said: “As part of this we are looking at police estate requirements in Lewisham. Our aim is to improve the policing across the borough for the long term and looking at our property requirements is a key part of this.

“This includes the public access review, currently underway, which will determine whether the front counter at Sydenham is still required.

“If it is deemed so a replacement front counter would be opened before this service was removed from the police station.”

“No decisions have been made about this building but we are reviewing it.”

To sign the petition, visit ipetitions.com/petition/save-sydenham-police-station/