Wood Green police station: please let me know what you think of the plans
Posted by Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, at 11:12, Tue 16 February 2010:
Dear Neighbour,
The police are planning to expand their presence in Wood Green - keeping the existing police station in use but also moving the front counter to the Fishmongers Arms (right next to the Civic Centre, closer to the centre of Wood Green, closer to where people congregate and closer to the crime hotspots).
I was impressed with the new front counter - not yet in use - when I went with Cllr Robert Gorrie (Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Haringey Council) to see it and meet the local Commander, Dave Grant.
I've recorded this short film explaining the plans for the new front counter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATBY7KB2Cc8
Having staffed and open police stations in the heart of our community is central to the fight against crime and the fear of crime. It gives us a police service that knows its community and whose community knows it. That's why I fought for so long to get the Muswell Hill front counter reopened.
The new front counter in Wood Green is much better equipped and located than the current one. It's all ready to go and has the advantage that local people will be able to use the front counter to report their problems in a much more peaceful and calm atmosphere - no longer needing to mix with the less salubrious side of station life, such as those who have to report to the police station, and so on.
If the existing building is also kept in use for police services - such as cells and a base for patrol cars etc. - then this means an overall bigger and better police presence in Wood Green. Hurrah!
If!
We need to be sure that moving the front counter doesn't become an excuse to cut back, sell off property - and leave us with fewer services. That has to be the concern in these times of economic uncertainty.
And then there's still the question of exactly what policing will be done from the existing police station building. The police have promised a public consultation on that - including the possibility of moving the front counter back from the Fishmongers Arms if it isn't a success in its new location and local people want it returned to the police station.
We also need to make sure that any building work on the old police station preserves its historic front, which is a real architectural gem that adds to our community. Last time the police made proposals for the station the local community was rightly up in arms at the insensitive architectural designs. That planning application was withdrawn and we await a new one, due to be submitted in the autumn.
So we should be due two chances to have our say - the public consultation on police services in the area and also the planning application for the Victorian police station building.
But ahead of that the police want to try out the new facilities at the Fishmongers Arms - moving their front counter service from the existing police station to the new location.
I know some people have been skeptical about this, worried that it's a way for the police to preempt those two chances for us to have our say later in the year.
But if it is a genuine trial - making use of new expanded premises and with a commitment written in blood that the final decisions will only come after we've been consulted - then it means we get to try out the new services sooner and it makes for a better decision in the end if there's some practical experience to draw on.
This is a debate which will run for some time. So I hope you'll take a moment to watch my film at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATBY7KB2Cc8 and to let me know your views either by reply or in the debate on my blog at http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2010/02/wood-green-police-station-latest-plans.htm
Best wishes,
Lynne
MP for Hornsey & Wood Green (Lib Dem) (020) 8347 8214
Commenting on this message is now disabled.