Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Reopening Local Police Stations — [Yvonne Fovargue in the Chair]

27 October 2021 · 7 other contributors · 13,325 words

Opened by Richard Drax Con South Dorset

Responding minister: Kit Malthouse

Policing & Resources

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Richard Drax raised concerns about reopening local police stations — [yvonne fovargue in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Mr Drax is concerned about the closure of up to 700 local police stations in England since 2010.
  • Mr Drax argues that station closures reduce public confidence in the police's ability to respond to crime.
  • Mr Drax requests the Home Office to scrutinize police station closures and consider reopening stations where necessary.

Key requests to Government

Mr. Drax requests that the Home Office take closer scrutiny of police station closures across all police areas and consider reopening closed stations where necessary.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Richard Drax Con South Dorset

Mr. Drax is concerned about the closure of local police stations over the past decade, citing statistics that between 600 and 700 stations have closed in England since 2010. He argues that these closures undermine community policing by removing a visible presence and reducing public confidence in the police's ability to respond effectively to crime. Mr. Drax also mentions that residents are often required to report crimes at local police stations, which becomes challenging with station closures.

Other contributors (7)
  • Jamie Stone Lib Dem Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross

    The MP shared a cautionary tale about police station closures in Scotland due to the amalgamation of constabularies into one Scottish police force. Eight stations were closed in his constituency, reducing localism and trust in the police force. He highlighted the importance of accountability through democratic engagement with the police. Asked if the expertise from South Dorset could be shared with his rural constituency north of England.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Jim Shannon expressed concern about police station closures and reduced hours, highlighting the impact on rural communities. He cited examples of long response times in his constituency and incidents where people were unable to access closed or restricted stations. Shannon emphasized the importance of community policing and suggested that more police officers are needed to address issues like antisocial behavior. He also requested discussions with devolved Administrations about alternative ways of conducting local policing.

  • Marco Longhi Con Dudley North

    Mr. Longhi highlighted the closure of police stations in Dudley and Sedgley, despite the need for them. He criticised the spending on refurbishing offices at headquarters while local stations were closing.

  • Munira Wilson Lib Dem Twickenham

    Crime has been increasing in London, particularly violent and knife crime. Since 2010, 71 police stations have closed. Richmond upon Thames lost its Richmond police station and now faces the closure of Teddington police station despite rising incidents of violence. The death of an 18-year-old Afghan refugee near Richmond upon Thames College highlights the urgency. Wilson argues that more police officers are needed on the streets, especially with fewer custody suites available, impacting response times. She emphasizes the importance of visible policing and community presence in deterring crime and building public trust.

  • Robbie Moore Con Keighley and Ilkley

    Mr. Moore highlighted the importance of local police stations in providing a visible police presence and reassurance to residents, noting that his constituency has experienced closures and relocations of police stations which have led to dissatisfaction among local residents. He stated that 68% of people in Keighley felt antisocial behaviour had increased due to the lack of a physical police station in town centres. Moore called for the reopening of these police stations as it was promised by the previous Police and Crime Commissioner. In Keighley, a Labour police and crime commissioner moved the police station from the town centre to the outskirts. Now there are discussions about moving it back into the centre, indicating a lack of strategic planning rather than issues with funding models.

  • Sarah Jones Lab Croydon West

    Ms Jones thanked police officers for their work and discussed the impact of police station closures. She noted significant cuts to police funding since 2010, resulting in fewer police officers, PCSOs, staff, and special constables. She highlighted increasing violent crime, online fraud, and poor outcomes for rape cases. Ms Jones also criticised the government's plan for a national online platform as inadequate and emphasised the importance of face-to-face interaction with local police.

  • Stephen Hammond Con Wimbledon

    Supports the campaign to keep Wimbledon police station open, arguing that modern policing still requires physical stations.

Government Response

Kit Malthouse

The Minister responded by acknowledging the importance of local police stations in community safety but emphasized the need for modernisation and rationalisation. He discussed examples where reopening stations did not necessarily increase officer presence on streets, advocating instead for efficient resource allocation to ensure officers are visible and effective. The Minister highlighted recent government commitments including the recruitment of over 11,000 police officers across England and Wales and an additional £540 million funding by 2024-25. He also mentioned a 'grip' programme focusing on targeted violence reduction in specific areas, showing significant reductions in violence.

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