"KEEP OUR POLICE IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD"

UPDATED ON 19th November 2011

BREAKTHROUGH FOR WOODFORD POLICE BASE CAMPAIGN

Photo Shoot to "Keep our Police in the Neighbourhood" and "Save Woodford Police Station"

 Following our Campaign with other Ward Councillors and our Online Petition we are today celebrating a major breakthrough in the Campaign to retain a Police Base in the West of the Borough, following a concession by the Police that they will not now move the Woodford and Wanstead Safer Neighbourhoods Teams away to a new base at Barkingside. 

The proposed move to Barkingside met with a storm of protest from local residents and Councillors, concerned that our local Police would waste hours each week travelling back and forth.  Over 1,000 people signed the Campaign Petition handed to the Council and the Police by Roding Ward Councillor Gwyneth Deakins in September.  Our Campaign was also backed by LibDem Mayoral Candidate and former Deputy Assistant Police Commissioner Brian Paddick, on a recent visit to the Borough. 

Now LibDem Cabinet Member for Community Safety Cllr Shoaib Patel has given an assurance by Redbridge Borough Commander Sue Williams that the move to Barkingside will not go ahead.  Cllr Patel said "I have been assured that these SNT's will continue to be based in the West of the Borough, and a recent announcement by the Borough Commander at a Scrutiny Meeting confirming this is excellent news".   

LibDem Deputy Leader of the Council Cllr Ian Bond added: "Whilst this does not guarantee the future of the existing Police Stations, it is great news that the Police now recognises the importance of a local base for our Neighbourhood Teams.  Whilst they continue to review their locations, we've been promised that they will continue to be based in the West of the Borough, close to the Communities they serve".

"Keep our Police in the Neighbourhood" We have set up a Petition to Keep our Safer Neighbourhoods Police Teams in Woodford and NOT to be relocated to Barkingside.  Please sign our Petition in support of this campaign by going to the following website:  http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/keepourpolice  You can also see a video "Keep Police in our Neighbourhood" on our YouTube and below is a link to the video:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BOWnIj-Gws   Many thanks for your support in advance!!!  SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY AND YOUR LOCAL POLICE.    Councillor Richard Hoskins made the following Statement after a Meeting with the Borough Commander  "Ward Councillors from Areas 1 and 2 met the Borough Commander Sue Williams on 21st September 2011.  We made it clear that we did not accept plans to move the base offices of the 6 Ward SNT Teams in our areas over to Barkingside.  If that were done Police Officers would face a half hour journey each way from Barkingside Police Station to their patol areas in our part of the Borough.  With 33 PC's and PCSO involved in the journeys each day we would be effectively loosing one Officer a week from front line patrolling in our Neighbourhoods.  The Borough Commanders suggestion that Officers could save time by using public buses makes no sense.  It would take three different bus changes to get from Barkingside to Wanstead or Snaresbrook.  The Plan to close both the SNT Offices in our part of the Borough and keep four bases in Ilford is not acceptable.  Why should 15 Wards in Ilford share 4 local SNT Team offices, while 6 Wards in our area have a base half way accross the Borough.  It is a measure of public opposition to this nonsense plan that a Petition against the changes organised by Councillor Gwyneth Deakins has already attrcted over 1,000 signatures.  Backed by resident and Safer Neighbourhood Teams like the Chelmsford & Derby Road Neighbourhood Watch the Petition is growing every day.  Councillor Deakins presented the Petition to the Borough Commander at the Meeting.  Further signatures can be added online at: http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petition/keepourpolice  In the face of the Councillors insistence that they would all publically oppose the reorganisation the Borough Commander eventually agreed to look at the relocation plan.  Looking again is of course no guarantee that it will be dropped.  Following the meeting with the Borough Commander there was a scheduled meeting of the Council's Environment and Community Safety Committee at which Councillors Linda Huggett and Richard Hoskins raised the issue.  As a result the Committee instructed Officers to call an Emergency Meeting with the Borough Commander as soon as possible".  Statement signed by Councillor Richard Hoskins - Churh End Ward

 At the last Redbridge Area 2 Committee meeting held on Tuesday 26th July 2011 it was announced in the Police report that the Safer Neighbourhoods Police Teams based at Woodford Police Station would be relocated to Barkingside Police Station with effect from September.  The SNT's cover the four wards of Bridge, Church End, Monkhams and Roding and it would be a great loss to see our local Police move out of the area. 

All the Ward Councillors and the 60 residents that attended the meeting were appalled at this news and this was done without any consultation with Councillors or residents. 

The Wanstead & Woodford Guardian have covered the story and you can see the full article if you click on the link below:

http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/rbnews/9173306.WOODFORD_GREEN__Councillors_launch_campaign_to_save_police_station/

There has also been a Petition set up by Councillor Paul Canal which is backed by all 3 Monkhams Ward Councillors Mrs Linda Huggett, Jim O'Shea and Michael Stark and the Watch is also supporting the Petiton which you can sign if you click on the link below:

http://tinyurl.com/savewoodfordpolicestation

We have also got our MP - The Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith involved in this as we believe it is important to have a local Police Station were local people can go. 

So we have arranged a PHOTO SHOOT at Woodford Police Station in The High Road, Woodford Green on FRIDAY 12TH AUGUST 2011 AT 2.30PM.  Our MP Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith, all Councillors of Area 2, residents and businesses are welcome to attend to support the Campaign to SAVE WOODFORD POLICE STATION. 

PLEASE SUPPORT THIS CAMPAIGN FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND TO KEEP WOODFORD POLICE STATION. 

MANY THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT 

Our main at this time is to make sure that our Safer Neighbourhoods Teams are kept locally and not relocate to Barkingside. 

Losing the local base for our SNT's would be a real disappointment as well as wasting hours every week transporting them back and forth from Barkingside to various parts of Woodford. 

Clearly this would mean less time spent Policing the Wards.

Photo Shoot & Campaign to "Keep our Police in the Neighbourhood" and to "Save Woodford Police Station"