London's
communities to be consulted over new strategy to modernise police facilities
METROPOLITAN POLICE
AUTHORITY News Release (MPA 63/07) issued by The Government News
Network on 30 November 2007
Plans to modernise
police facilities are to be published for each of the
capital's 32 boroughs and will offer local communities the
unique opportunity to make their voices heard in the drive to make
the police service more responsive to their needs.
The Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) and Metropolitan Police
Service (MPS) are undertaking a major improvement programme for
the Metropolitan Police estate.
An Asset Management Plan (AMP) for each borough will outline the
local strategy to improve facilities, including the provision of
front counters, patrol bases, custody centres, Safer
Neighbourhoods team bases, and office accommodation, as well as
ensuring the buildings are fully accessible in line with
legislation. A significant feature of the AMPs, which aim to
explain the changes and how they will directly benefit policing,
will be a period of local consultation, actively seeking feedback
form the community.
Aneeta Prem, lead member for estates issues for the Metropolitan
Police Authority, said:
"Effective policing cannot be delivered without the right
property to operate from. The MPA places great value on
modernising the estate to provide the best possible facilities
that will enable our police service to respond to the urgent needs
of Londoners.
"The Authority is crucially aware of the importance
communities attach to local police facilities and the need to
communicate prospective changes. The Asset Management Plans (AMP)
that will be rolled out in every borough in the coming months are
specifically intended as consultation tools and will ask Londoners
specific questions about facilities in their area and what can be
done to improve these.
"Each borough AMP outlines the key themes which we want
stakeholders and the local community to express their views on.
This period of consultation will last three months following
publication of the AMP, the process to be led by the borough
commander. Once the community's views have been collected,
the Met will then carefully consider the comments to help inform a
revised version of the document and implement change to improve
policing in the borough.
"It is the first time this has been done in London and is an
exciting opportunity for Londoners to help us make the police
service better. We firmly believe we need to engage with Londoners
to explain the enormous benefits of the changes we propose and win
their support for a better, more effective police service for
everyone across the entire capital."
Significant improvements to the estate have been made since the
MPA published 'Building Towards The Safest City' in 2003
setting out the need for modernisation. However, many buildings
pre-date 1940, are not suitable for modern working practices, are
expensive to run and inefficient. Police numbers have also grown
substantially in recent years, which together with the roll out of
the Safer Neighbourhods initiative across each of the 32 boroughs,
has placed extra demands on space and facilities.
The estate must adapt to meet these and other emerging challenges
to ensure it is fit for use and provides the best possible
environment for police officers and staff to respond to
Londoners' needs.
The Property for Policing Programme sets out to deliver more
effective policing by:
* Ensuring the public has accessible and friendly police
facilities in the heart of local communities, closer to crime
hotspots and compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act.
More Safer Neighbourhoods' team bases will open within local
communities, bringing the police closer to the public.
* Providing a single Custody Centre in most boroughs. This will
create 30 to 40 custody cells in one place, with all the
appropriate facilities required on one site. This will provide
safe and modern facilities for employees and detainees and free up
officers' time for front-line duties.
* Building new Patrol Bases in easily accessible locations, where
we can. This will speed up response times and enable officers to
spend more time patrolling the streets.
* Creating more space to accommodate growing numbers of officers
and staff within the MPS. This will involve refurbishing some
facilities, relocating or replacing others and opening new accommodation.
* Providing modern working conditions for our officers and staff
and so increasing their productivity.
Notes to Editors
1. Borough Asset Management Plans are available as they are
completed for publication on the MPA website: http://www.mpa.gov.uk/issues/estate/default.htm
2. They are also available under each individual
borough's webpage on the MPS website: http://www.met.police.uk/[borough name]
Website: http://www.mpa.gov.uk