Pic: Christopher M, Flickr

Sydenham and Brockley police stations have been earmarked for closure, after new priorities for policing in London were laid out in drafts released by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime on January 9.

The Met Estates Strategy draft includes a proposal to close 65 of the least utilised front counters open to the public, in order to save £60million. Out of 136 counters, 71 will remain open.

The draft guarantees at least one 24-hour station in each borough. Of the three police stations currently running a 24 hour  service, including Catford, Lewisham and Deptford, only Lewisham will retain its 24-hour front desk.

As an alternative, the draft proposes an increase in contact points, so easy- access to the police will remain available. The recommended locations of these new contact points are on busy high streets, in supermarkets, council buildings, libraries or the Post Office.

MOPAC’s other draft, the Police and Crime Plan, includes a new local policing model which plans to add 2600 frontline officers to Safer Neighbourhood Teams.

The final Police and Crime Plan will be published in April 2013.

A series of public consultation events on the proposals are to be held in London boroughs between January 9 and February 28.

The consultations held in Eastlondonlines’ boroughs are as follows:

Croydon: Croydon Conference Centre, 5-9 Surrey Street, Croydon, CR0 1RG, Tuesday, 12 February, 2013 – 20:00 to 21:00

Tower Hamlets: Tower Hamlets Skeel Lecture Theatre, People’s Palace Building, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, Thursday, 24 January, 2013 – 20:00 to 21:00

Hackney: Hackney Assembly Hall, Hackney Town Hall, Mare Street, Hackney, E8 1EA, Thursday, 24 January, 2013 – 18:00 to 19:00

Lewisham: Lewisham Civic Suite, Catford Road, Catford, SE6 4RU, Monday, 28 January, 2013 – 18:00 to 19:00

For more details visit: www.london.gov.uk/policingevents