Met Police cuts will already see the front counters at Mitcham and Wimbledon police stations shut, and the threat of total closure remains for both
Merton councillors have warned that the borough’s reputation as one of London’s safest could be at risk if either Wimbledon or Mitcham police stations were closed.
Labour Councillor Gill Manly warned the council chamber on Wednesday night: “Losing either station would put that safety at risk; losing both is potentially terrifying.”
In an extraordinary council meeting on September 17, councillors debated the future of the borough’s remaining police stations, both of which have had the threat of total closure hanging over them for years. The debate comes a month after the Met Police confirmed plans to close the front counters at both stations, as part of cost cutting that will see 18 front counters lost.
Recent figures show over 900 crimes are reported in person at Wimbledon and Mitcham stations a year. Merton is also a relative outlier among London boroughs in having more than one police station.
Councillors across the chamber highlighted concerns over local access to policing, rising crime, and the impact on vulnerable residents. Councillor Edith Macauley led the Labour motion calling for continued campaigning, an urgent update from the Met on its estates strategy, and a push for front desk usage data to be published.
She said: “It is of paramount importance that both Wimbledon and Mitcham police stations are kept open and accessible to our communities.”
Cllr Macauley also argued that closing either station would “undermine community policing” and warned that for many residents “the next closest station in Sutton will simply not be an option”.
While Merton is consistently ranked as one of the safest boroughs in London alongside Richmond and Sutton, recent figures underline the stakes. Shoplifting in Merton is up 46% in the past year, sexual offences up 15%, and drug possession up 8%. Officers spent 14,492 hours policing outside the borough in the first half of 2025 – a 58% rise from the previous year – leaving fewer officers on local streets.
Labour criticised the Liberal Democrats for focusing on Wimbledon while claiming they have been neglecting Mitcham. Cllr Macauley said: “The Lib Dems claim that they care about policing. They campaign for Wimbledon, but what about Mitcham? Until recently, there has been no mention of it from them. That tells you everything about their priorities.”
However, Lib Dem councillors defended their record. Wimbledon MP Paul Kohler said: “The Mayor of London and the Met have conducted three consultations that brought the future of Wimbledon and Mitcham police stations into question. Merton Lib Dems formally responded on each occasion, unlike Labour and the Conservatives.”
Raynes Park Councillor Victoria Wilson added: “With shoplifting and other crime rising locally and fewer officers on our streets, now is the worst possible time to cut local policing. Labour knew these plans were coming but chose to stay silent. Merton Liberal Democrats will not.”
Both the Lib Dems and the smaller Conservative group also highlighted the role of Labour Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan in the recent scaling back of face-to-face policing. Lib Dem Councillor and London Assembly Member Hina Bokhari said the motion “ignores the biggest player, the Mayor of London, who is responsible for these cuts”.
She said she had received nearly 1,000 emails about this issue, including a large number from police officers who she said “know that the Mayor was behind this decision.” She added: “It starts with closing the front counter and ends with the whole station being shut next.”
Councillor Nick McLean of the Conservatives said Labour Assembly Members had supported the Mayor’s budget that created a £260m shortfall. He argued Labour were now campaigning against the very cuts they had helped enable.
Throughout the meeting, Labour councillors highlighted ongoing efforts to protect local policing, including petitions to Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley. They also cited investment in safer neighbourhood teams and the borough’s CCTV network.
Don’t miss out on the biggest South London news. Sign up to our MySouthLondon newsletter HERE for all the latest daily news and more.
