Wandsworth Police Address Lavender Hill Station Closure Concerns

Wandsworth Police have addressed concerns regarding the planned closure of Lavender Hill Police Station, assuring residents that alternative reporting methods are in place and that frontline policing will not be significantly impacted. The decision to close the station was based on low daily report numbers and the absence of a custody suite.

At the Wandsworth Safer Neighbourhood Board meeting on 9 December 2025, Superintendent Gani Rajan responded to questions submitted by Stacey Smith, Furzedown Safer Neighbourhood Ward Panel Chair, regarding the impact of the closure. Superintendent Rajan stated that he did not anticipate a significant impact on residents in Furzedown, citing low daily report numbers at the station. According to the Superintendent, an average of 3.1 crimes per day were reported at Lavender Hill.

Superintendent Rajan outlined alternative reporting methods, including telephone services, online forms, and video conferencing. He also noted that response teams have been deployed from Wimbledon for several years, and the local safer neighbourhood team is based out of Earlsfield. Superintendent Rajan stated that the closure of front offices should not impact the response times to calls, despite the reliance on response teams from Wimbledon and Earlsfield.

I do not envisage that the closure of Lavender Hill front office will have a significant impact for residents in Furzedown, Superintendent Rajan stated. He added that the decision to close Lavender Hill Police Station was based on low daily report numbers and the absence of a custody suite.

The closure is part of a broader strategy aimed at saving £7 million across the Met and redeploying around 15 officers per day across London. According to the Superintendent, this equates to 469 officer shifts per month, which could be better spent on the streets. The document does not specify how the impact on crime rates will be measured as a result of this redeployment.

Superintendent Rajan also addressed concerns about how the new system would accommodate people with no fixed address. He explained that the Met offered several alternatives to in-person reporting, including an appointments car, online statement options, video setups, and a yellow phone outside police stations.

According to the Safer Neighbourhood Board Data Pack, between March 2023 and February 2024, 92.5% of crimes with victims aged 65+ were reported via means other than front counters, and 93.3% of violence against the person crimes were reported via other means.

The Superintendent also noted that the Metropolitan Police would be closing several police station front offices due to a £260 million budget shortfall and declining public use. The aim is to save £7 million and reallocate resources, resulting in an estimated 469 officer shifts per month to boost frontline policing across London, equivalent to each BCU getting one additional officer per day.

Alternative methods of contacting the police will remain in place, including:

• Online forms
• Telephone 999 in emergency or 101 in non-emergency
• Telephone interpreter services
• Text Relay Service on 18000 (for hearing impaired and/or speech impaired)
• 999BSL to report an emergency in BSL
• Text 61016 on public transport
• Anonymous reporting via Crimestoppers (online or by phone)
• Social media via Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter)

Residents who wish to provide feedback can email the central team directly at FrontCountersToughChoice@met.police.uk.