Merton’s Liberal Democrat opposition has accused the Labour-run council of “obvious spin” after it claimed to have saved the long-threatened police stations in Mitcham and Wimbledon. With front counters shut at both sites, the Lib Dems say residents remain unable to report crimes in person and warn the stations still face the risk of full closure.
Over the festive period, Merton Labour issued a press release saying it was “delighted to announce” that its campaign to save both stations had been successful. The party said the Mayor of London had confirmed the stations would remain open under the latest Metropolitan Police Estates Strategy, which sets out how police assets will be managed.
Labour said its success was driven by local action teams, petitions, council motions, visits to New Scotland Yard, and direct lobbying of the Metropolitan Police and the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime. Council leader Ross Garrod said the news meant Labour could “redouble our focus on keeping Merton one of the safest areas in London”.
However, the Liberal Democrats say the announcement overlooks a key point: both Mitcham and Wimbledon lost their public front counters last year. The cost-saving move by the Metropolitan Police means residents can no longer walk in to report crimes, with the nearest counter now in Sutton.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Wimbledon’s Liberal Democrat MP Paul Kohler said: “The reality is that the front counters were closed. Then the Mayor found money to keep some open across London, but he didn’t save either Mitcham or Wimbledon.”
He added: “Labour’s campaign in Merton achieved nothing,” warning that the loss of front counters could be “a prelude to losing a station”, and pointing out that neighbouring Sutton had managed to retain its counter.
Kohler said the Estates Strategy “simply states there are no current plans to close more stations.” He says this is something the council already knew and argued that it offered no long-term guarantee.
“The main point is that Wimbledon and Mitcham still lost their front counters; nothing has changed,” he said.
Both stations have faced closure threats for more than a decade, which Labour attributes to Conservative policing cuts between 2010 and 2024. While Merton is now unusual in retaining two police stations — with most London boroughs operating just one — the council argues that closing either site would undermine neighbourhood policing in one of the capital’s statistically safest areas.
Wimbledon police station narrowly avoided closure in 2018 after Kohler launched a legal challenge against Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. In a judicial review, a High Court judge heavily criticised the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime’s consultation process over the proposed closure, ultimately blocking the decision.
“We won the judicial review and kept the station open,” Kohler told the LDRS. “What we didn’t get was a promise it would stay open forever.”
Asked whether the same legal route could be used to secure the return of police front counters in Merton, Kohler said: “Judicial review costs a vast amount of money, but we did look at it.”
He noted that Richmond Council is pursuing a judicial review over the closure of its front counter, citing concerns over inadequate consultation and the impact on residents. Kohler added: “We have been looking at whether we can force Merton to join their action, because the issue is the same that the front counter was closed without a proper process.”
Commenting on recent council decisions, Merton’s Liberal Democrat opposition leader Anthony Fairclough said: “Labour council bosses recently voted down calls to fight for other measures that would strengthen community policing, such as securing local police bases for neighbourhood officers and dedicated town-centre police teams.”
He added: “A really effective council would stand up for residents, not just be on the lookout for PR opportunities.”
Both Merton Labour and the Liberal Democrats confirmed they will continue campaigning for the return of front counters at the borough’s two police stations.
In response, a spokesperson for Merton Labour told the LDRS: “Labour is the party of community safety, and at all levels we are standing up to keep people safe here in Merton. Locally, we have invested millions in expanding and upgrading our 24-hour CCTV network and deployed a new Safer Streets Team, patrolling every neighbourhood every week to tackle anti-social behaviour.
“At London level, thanks to Labour at City Hall and in government, the Metropolitan Police Service is receiving a historic £1.16 billion in funding for 2025/26. Nationally, the Labour government has begun the hard work of rebuilding policing after fourteen years of Conservative cuts, supported by the Liberal Democrats during the coalition years.
“This includes rebuilding neighbourhood policing, which has already been strengthened by the Labour government’s commitment to ensure there is a named, contactable officer in every neighbourhood in the country. Merton Labour will continue working every day to keep the borough one of the safest in London.”
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London added: “The Met’s new Estates Strategy prioritises neighbourhood policing, putting officers at the heart of the communities they serve. As part of this plan, the Met has confirmed there are no plans to close Mitcham or Wimbledon police stations.
“The Mayor will continue working with the Commissioner and pressing the Government for the funding the Met needs to deliver a safer London for everyone, building on the significant reductions in crime and violence already achieved.”
