Community

Merton residents face growing safety concerns as police station front counters close

Wednesday, 22 October 2025 4:03AM UTC

The closure of Wimbledon and Mitcham police station front counters in Merton has sparked political backlash and heightened fears over vulnerable residents' access to police services amid London's wider police restructuring plans.

A fresh political controversy has erupted in Merton following the announcement that local police station front counters are to close, leaving residents without accessible, public-facing police services in the borough. The Metropolitan Police’s restructuring plan, designed to address a significant £260 million funding gap, will see only two 24-hour police stations remain open across London—Charing Cross and Lewisham. Consequently, Merton will lose the front counters at both Wimbledon and Mitcham stations, forcing residents to undertake long journeys of up to 45 minutes or more to access face-to-face police support.

The closures have triggered considerable backlash from local political figures and community advocates. Merton’s Liberal Democrats have criticised the Labour-run council for failing to safeguard local police station access, accusing it of letting residents down during a critical time. Wimbledon MP Paul Kohler explicitly blamed Labour for this failure, pointing out that the party governs at national, London-wide, and local council levels. The Lib Dems have also condemned the Mayor of London for breaking a previous pledge to maintain one 24-hour police counter in every borough. They argue that the detrimental impact of the nearly quarter-billion-pound funding shortfall has sharply reduced vital policing services.

Community safety concerns are particularly acute among vulnerable groups such as older people, victims of domestic abuse, and those without reliable internet access—individuals who depend heavily on local, in-person support. National charity Refuge highlighted the risks faced by survivors who may lose discreet and immediate routes to safety and assistance, potentially increasing the number of people slipping through the cracks. Local campaigners view the closures as a serious blow to women's safety and community trust, emphasising the essential nature of having accessible police services when residents are most vulnerable.

Merton’s Labour councillors have expressed regret about the Metropolitan Police’s decision, with Councillor Edith Macauley MBE, the Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety, describing the closures as "deeply regrettable." She conveyed that the council has actively raised the issue with both the local policing commander and the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime. Although a motion opposing the closures passed at council, stronger amendments from opposition parties calling for more decisive action were rejected. The Labour group maintains a commitment to campaigning for the retention of Wimbledon and Mitcham police station front counters.

To mitigate the loss of physical police presence, the council has invested in alternative safety measures, including establishing a permanent Safer Streets Team and allocating £2 million towards upgrading CCTV systems borough-wide. The Safer Streets Team, which patrols neighbourhoods regularly including evenings and weekends, recorded over 300 patrol hours in its initial month, dealing with drug-related incidents and assisting residents and businesses.

The Metropolitan Police justify the reduction in front counters as part of a broader strategy to prioritise frontline policing amid funding constraints. According to a Met spokesperson, after extensive public consultation, they plan to keep 27 front counters open throughout London, of which only two will be staffed 24/7. Most counters will operate with reduced hours, balancing cost savings with some degree of local access.

These changes, however, have drawn criticism from various quarters. The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) has condemned the closures for undermining public safety and jeopardising the jobs of public access officers. Unite the Union warned that reduced front desk availability could lead to increased crime and heightened staff stress, predicting more unreported incidents and over 100 staff job losses. Local MPs and residents alike have voiced concerns about the erosion of accessible policing and the broader implications for community security, especially in areas like Merton where front counters are set to disappear entirely.

Some boroughs, such as Royal Greenwich, have managed to maintain their front counters after consultations with local authorities and police, highlighting that outcomes vary across London depending on local engagement and priority setting.

Overall, the Metropolitan Police's decision to close several police station front counters, including those in Merton, remains highly contentious. While authorities stress financial necessity and focus on frontline resource allocation, the resulting reduction in visible, accessible police services raises pressing questions about the implications for community safety, vulnerable residents, and public confidence in policing across London.

📌 Reference Map:

Paragraph 1 – ^[1] (MyLondon), ^[2] (Met Police News)
Paragraph 2 – ^[1] (MyLondon)
Paragraph 3 – ^[1] (MyLondon), ^[4] (Evening Standard), ^[6] (Evening Standard)
Paragraph 4 – ^[1] (MyLondon)
Paragraph 5 – ^[1] (MyLondon)
Paragraph 6 – ^[1] (MyLondon)
Paragraph 7 – ^[2] (Met Police News), ^[7] (BBC News)
Paragraph 8 – ^[3] (PCS Union), ^[6] (Evening Standard), ^[4] (Evening Standard)
Paragraph 9 – ^[5] (Royal Greenwich Council), ^[1] (MyLondon)
Paragraph 10 – ^[1] (MyLondon), ^[2] (Met Police News), ^[4] (Evening Standard)

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/met-police-counter-closures-spark-32721057 - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://news.met.police.uk/news/met-police-progress-in-closing-ps260m-funding-gap-502211 - The Metropolitan Police Service has announced it will keep 27 front counters open across London, after listening to feedback from Londoners. Two front counters will remain open 24 hours a day at the busiest sites—Charing Cross and Lewisham—while a further 25 will operate Monday to Friday, 10am until 10pm, and 9am until 7pm on weekends. This decision follows an extensive engagement process and aims to balance savings with the desire for local access, focusing resources on frontline policing to address a £260 million funding gap.
https://www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/news/met-police-close-more-police-station-front-counters - The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) has criticised the Metropolitan Police's plan to close 18 front counters, leaving only 19 open across London, with just eight operating 24/7. PCS argues that these closures will negatively impact public safety and the jobs of public access officers. The union calls for a public consultation on the matter, highlighting the essential role of front counters in handling various crime reports and providing support to vulnerable individuals.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/met-police-front-counter-closures-public-outcry-b1253129.html - The Metropolitan Police's plan to reduce the number of front counters from 37 to 27, with only two operating 24/7, has sparked public outcry. This move breaks a previous pledge to maintain at least one 24-hour accessible counter in each of London's 32 boroughs. The decision has faced criticism from local MPs and residents, who express concerns over the loss of accessible police services and the potential impact on community safety.
https://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/news/2025/plumstead-police-station-front-counter-remain-open-public - The front counter at Plumstead Police Station in the Royal Borough of Greenwich will remain open to the public. This decision follows consultations between the council, residents, and the police, ensuring continued local access to police services. The council leader expressed appreciation for the outcome, acknowledging the challenges faced by the police in balancing budgets while prioritising resident needs.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/police-station-front-desks-closures-met-unite-union-b1247524.html - Unite the union has condemned the Metropolitan Police's decision to close police station front desks, stating it will lead to increased crime and staff stress. The union argues that the closures will result in more crimes being unreported and higher levels of stress among staff. They also highlight the potential loss of over 100 police staff jobs and the negative impact on public safety.
https://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/articles/ce374l0ng1wo - The Metropolitan Police plans to close half the front desks at its stations to save money, reducing the number of counters across London from 37 to 19. This move would break a pledge to have a counter staffed 24/7 in each of the capital's 32 boroughs. The Met Police spokesperson stated that consultation is underway, but no changes would be made until later this year, citing budget constraints as the reason for the closures.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The Metropolitan Police's decision to close front counters at Wimbledon and Mitcham stations has been reported in various outlets since August 2025. ([itv.com](https://www.itv.com/news/london/2025-08-06/full-list-of-london-police-station-front-counters-at-risk-of-closure-released?utm_source=openai)) The most recent update from the Met Police was on 15 October 2025, detailing the finalised plans. ([news.met.police.uk](https://news.met.police.uk/news/met-police-progress-in-closing-ps260m-funding-gap-502211?utm_source=openai))

Quotes check

Score: 7

Notes: Direct quotes from local political figures and community advocates have been consistent across multiple reports. For instance, Merton Liberal Democrats and Wimbledon MP Paul Kohler have expressed concerns about the closures. ([mertonlibdems.org.uk](https://www.mertonlibdems.org.uk/news/article/merton-borough-to-have-no-public-facing-police-station-under-new-met-plan?utm_source=openai))

Source reliability

Score: 9

Notes: The narrative originates from reputable sources, including local political organisations and established news outlets like ITV News. ([itv.com](https://www.itv.com/news/london/2025-08-06/full-list-of-london-police-station-front-counters-at-risk-of-closure-released?utm_source=openai))

Plausability check

Score: 8

Notes: The closure of front counters aligns with the Metropolitan Police's cost-cutting measures to address a £260 million funding gap. ([news.met.police.uk](https://news.met.police.uk/news/met-police-progress-in-closing-ps260m-funding-gap-502211?utm_source=openai)) The concerns raised by local politicians and community groups are consistent with the reported impact of these closures on public safety and accessibility.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative accurately reflects the Metropolitan Police's decision to close front counters at Wimbledon and Mitcham stations, with consistent reporting across reputable sources. The concerns raised by local figures are plausible and supported by the context of the Met's funding challenges.

Police closures
Merton
Community safety