WOODFORD GREEN: Councillors launch campaign to save police station (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

WOODFORD GREEN: Councillors launch campaign to save police station

5:51pm Tuesday 2nd August 2011 in Redbridge News By Dominic Sutton

ANY DECISION to close Woodford police station would be an act of “organisational vandalism”.

That is the verdict of Bridge Ward councillor Paul Canal, who has joined Monkhams Councillors Linda Huggett, Jim O’Shea and Michael Stark in launching a petition to save the station.

Councillors were shocked by revelations at an area two committee meeting last week, that Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs) in Woodford Green will be relocating to Barkingside in September.

The admission by Sergeant David Somerville, prompted councillors to suggest the police station itself is under threat.

Cllr Huggett has now written to Borough Commander, Detective Chief Superintendent Sue Williams requesting an urgent meeting to clarify the situation.

Chief Superintendent Williams said she had written to Redbridge’s Chief Community Safety Officer, Kathy Nixon and Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Safety, Shoaib Patel about the matter.

But that has not satisfied Cllr Huggett who has demanded other councillors are updated immediately.

She said: “Residents are already asking questions about the future of the police station and we are unable to deal with their enquiries, so the situation is totally unsatisfactory.”

The councillors have put their petition online and set up a “Save Woodford Police Station” Facebook group.

Speaking after the petition was launched, Cllr O'Shea said: "This year Redbridge has suffered the highest increase in burglaries in London.

"This is not the time to be moving Safer Neighbourhood teams and closing Woodford Police Station."

Liberal Democrat Councillors Ian Bond and Hugh Cleaver said they would be waiting for clarification on the future of the police station before committing to any campaign to keep it open.

But they also expressed their worries about the decision to move SNTs to Barkingside.

Roding Ward Councillor Ian Bond said: “It’s particularly disappointing that the police are making changes without a consultation process.

“For anyone in Woodford, Barkingside seems quite distant.”

And Cllr Cleaver added: “We are not sure what is happening with the station at the moment, but we would certainly be opposed to any closure.”

To view the Conservative councillors' petition to keep Woodford Police Station open, visit http://tinyurl.com/SaveWoodfordPoliceStation.

Those wishing to help the campaign directly are asked to email savewoodfordpolicestation@gmail.com or call Cllr Linda Huggett on 020 8708 9678.

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