Metropolitan Police Authority – decision to find more satisfactory location for police custody centre in Teddington

08/07
25 January 2007

The Metropolitan Police Authority this morning, 25 January, committed itself to finding a more satisfactory solution to the pressing problem of the under-provision of custody facilities in south west London.

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) had previously proposed to create a 30 cell custody suite at Teddington police station. But in response to growing local concerns and increasing anxiety within the Authority about the adequacy of consultation that had taken place with residents and the nature of their objections, the decision has been taken to find more suitable sites to fulfil police operational requirements.

Aneeta Prem, MPA member who leads on issues relating to the Metropolitan Police estate, said:

“While the Authority fully endorses the need to modernise the police estate across London, and specifically recognises the need to enhance our custody facilities, we also recognise the fundamental need to consult local residents about proposed changes and the effect on the immediate area. This was not satisfactorily carried out in Teddington – indeed, the way this entire issue was handled can serve as an object lesson in how not to consult.

“Day-to-day management of the estate is delegated by the Authority to the MPS’s property services department. We have been working very hard over the past six months to ensure local consultation is built into every modernisation project. We fundamentally believe local people have a right to be heard when we make decisions about changes to police buildings and facilities, and need to know why we formulate specific plans. This way we can forestall their understandable anxieties and carry the community with us.

“In Teddington we now need to take stock and consider what other options or locations will better meet the need to provide custody capacity. I, with colleagues at the MPA, will be monitoring progress to ensure that timely and effective consultation does take place this time and the local community is fully involved in the process.”

Notes to editors

1. Overall responsibility for the Metropolitan Police estate is vested in the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA), the statutory organisation responsible for ensuring an efficient and effective police service for London.
2. Day-to-day management of the police estate is delegated by the MPA to the Metropolitan Police Service’s property services department. The estate comprises over 600 operational buildings and 1116 residential properties, used by over 48,000 police officers and staff, and is valued at c£1.7 billion.
3. The MPA full Authority on 25 January heard a question from a member of the public, Mr Michael Patten: has an Environmental Impact Assessment been carried out in relation to the proposal to build a 30 cell custody unit plus Crown Prosecution Service facilities at Teddington Police Station. Catherine Crawford, Chief Executive and Clerk to the MPA, gave the following response at the meeting:

“The MPA Estates Strategy envisages a rationalisation of the provision of custody centres across London, following the recommendations of a review of custody capacity. The aim is to take a wide view of the overall requirements of the service to ensure the most effective use of resources to provide modern and efficient custody facilities.

“With the growth in officer and Police Community Support Officers numbers in recent years, increased custody provision is required across London as policing becomes more and more effective and more people are detained. The current situation is inefficient, with staffing replicated at a number of small sites. The proposed new custody centres will, through economies of scale, release officers for operational, front line policing duties to the benefit of all Londoners.

“In May 2004 the Custody Centre Review identified Richmond and Merton as the two highest priorities for increased custody capacity.

“The MPA Finance Committee approved the principle of citing a custody centre at Teddington, to support the boroughs of Kingston and Richmond, in June 2006. A search had failed to identify any prospective alternative sites in Teddington.

“The proposals for the development of the facility at Teddington police station have now been put out to consultation, and a number of drawbacks have been identified. The MPS, with the encouragement of MPA members, will now take stock of the product of the consultation exercise, which is still continuing, and consider again what other options, including reflecting on the scale of the provisions of cells at Teddington, might provide a more satisfactory solution to the pressing problem of the under-provision of custody facilities in south west London. All proposed alternative sites elsewhere in the two boroughs, or schemes or modifications will of course be put out promptly to full and open public consultation.

“On the specific point raised by Mr Patten the Teddington scheme currently under consultation does not require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) since it falls outside the scale and type of scheme designated as requiring formal statutory EIA action. I am advised that the recent House of Lords decision does not alter this situation. The MPS will of course wish to follow the spirit of the requirement to carry out an EIA in respect of any development projects to which statutory provision does not apply.”

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