Metropolitan police estate: public consultation results published

41/08
23 July 2008

The Metropolitan Police Authority today published the findings of a three-month programme of public consultation about the future development of the Metropolitan Police Estate in London.

Plans to modernise police facilities were published for each of the capital’s 32 boroughs last November, followed by a three-month consultation period to enable local communities to comment on the proposals to make the police estate more responsive to everyone’s requirements. It was always intended to publish the results of this public consultation.

Steve O’Connell, chair of the MPA Finance Committee, said:

“The MPA has discussed in public committee the unsatisfactory and limited nature of this previous consultation process. By publishing the results today, we are fulfilling our intention to make the results available to our communities.

“Our future plans to develop the Metropolitan Police Estate will require us to talk more directly with local communities. We need Londoners to understand what services operate from our buildings, more broadly how the police work in the boroughs and how the built estate supports this. Only by providing this information can communities to take part in an informed, constructive dialogue.

“Over the summer period we are looking at the whole estate strategy, including the development plans that were consulted on, as part of the overall budget process. This will be an opportunity to explore how communities can become further involved to ensure we move forward in a way that will satisfy everyone’s requirements.

“I want to stress once again that nothing will be done in haste and no decisions about the police estate in London have been taken.”

Notes to editors

1. The MPA has responsibility for all the buildings used by the Metropolitan Police in London and we recognise the vital role the estate plays in supporting the delivery of effective and efficient policing across the capital. The Authority is acutely aware that the estate is ageing - approximately 35% of the buildings pre-dating 1935 - and many buildings are inappropriately located for today’s communities. To deliver an excellent police service, our buildings have to meet both today’s requirements as well as our future demands. Simply upgrading or renewing individual parts of the estate is no longer an option and there is an urgent need for major change.

2. The results of the public consultation for the Asset Management Plan (AMP) for each borough, are available to view on the MPA website at: www.mpa.gov.uk/issues/estate/default.htm#amp

Further media information

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