Eltham Conservatives have launched a petition calling on Greenwich Council to ‘Back Eltham’s Police’ and offer the local police teams a space in the Eltham Centre to be used during their shifts.
The move comes with Eltham Police Station due to be closed this Autumn by the Labour Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who first announced the move in 2017. The closure will see officers previously based at Eltham Police Station having to travel from Marlowe House in Sidcup, outside of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, to serve their communities.
Local Conservatives had previously taken a motion to full Council calling on the Greenwich Labour Party to keep their 2018 manifesto pledge to residents to ensure officers were based as near to the area they serve as possible. This was rejected by Labour Councillors, who said during the meeting they did not consider officers travelling from outside the Borough to break their promise.
Councillor Nigel Fletcher, Leader of the Conservative Group on Greenwich Council, and Eltham South Councillor said “This is the second petition we have launched against the closure of Eltham Police Station, and still the local Labour Party are failing to listen to the concerns of local residents of the impact this will have on our local communities and anti-social behaviour. It is clear, the local Labour are not listening to residents.”
Councillor Charlie Davis, Councillor for Eltham North ward where the Police Station is based, and Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group on Greenwich Council said “Local Labour councillors were all elected in 2018 on the pledge of ensuring local police teams would be based as close to the communities they represent as possible. Not only have Labour councillors decided to break that promise, but they have come up with the ludicrous justification that because the journey from Sidcup is less than 30 minutes, it continues to meet their definition of local policing. I look forward to Greenwich Labour announcing their imminent support of Officers travelling in from Greenhithe each day.”
The petition can be signed at www.greenwichconservatives.com/backelthamspolice.
It’s a disgrace that Labour have failed to support Eltham police and provide local facilities.