Harrow Council is set to debate a motion opposing the planned closure of the front desk at Pinner Police Station. The motion, put forward by Councillor Paul Osborn, Leader of the Council, and Councillor Marilyn Ashton, Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Planning & Regeneration, highlights the vital role the front desk plays in the community.
The motion notes that the front desk is currently manned by volunteers and provides a crucial point of contact between the public and the police. Councillors Osborn and Ashton express concern that the closure will reduce accessibility to police services for residents in Pinner, Hatch End, Rayners Lane, and North Harrow, potentially leaving them feeling less safe. The closure is reportedly due to a £260 million shortfall in the Metropolitan Police's budget.
The motion acknowledges that in September, the Council passed a motion to oppose the closure of the Front Desk at Harrow Police Station, as noted in the Council Minutes - 18 September 2025. It also notes that in October it was announced with no warning that Pinner Police Station's Front Desk will also close, and that neither the Metropolitan Police nor the Mayor of London had the decency to notify the Pinner Police Station Front Desk's volunteers of its impeding closure, with the volunteers finding out about the decision via news coverage. The motion also notes that recent data shows that police numbers in London have fallen by over 1,000 officers.
The council plans to thank the volunteers for their service, record their dismay at the closure, support efforts to prevent it, and commend David Simmonds MP for his campaign to save the front desk. The council meeting is scheduled for Thursday 27 November 2025.
The full agenda for the meeting is available on the Harrow Council website.