Getting the law on his side
POLITICAL ACTIVIST BEGINS LEGAL CHALLENGE TO HALT LONDON MAYOR SHUTTING DOWN POLICE STATIONS
A LEGAL challenge has been launched to stop Sadiq Khan’s plans to close police stations across London .
Liberal Democrat activist Paul Kohler is seeking permission to take the decision to close more than half of the current police stations in the city to judicial review.
Lawyers acting on behalf of Mr Kohler argue that the public consultation and consequent decision were legally flawed and unlawful.
The move comes after the Mayor of London announced 37 stations, including a swathe across west London, would shut.
He blamed lack of funding from the Conservative government, and said the move was needed to protect frontline policing .
The subject is close to the heart of Mr Kohler, a senior lecturer in law at SAOS University in London.
He was the victim of a vicious attack in his home in 2014, and believes he only survived because police officers were able to get to his house from the local station in Wimbledon, which is one of the 37 under threat of closure.
He said: “The Mayor’s plan to remove police stations from the heart of many communities is a short-sighted and unimaginative response to the funding crisis caused by the government’s equally misguided decision to slash the Metropolitan Police budget.”
Mr Khan announced in November that stations would close, blaming funding cuts on the government.
Among those named were Notting Hill, Ealing, Southall, Fulham, Uxbridge, Chiswick, Kilburn and Belgravia.
Mr Kohler argues not enough information was provided to Londoners through the consultation, and that the Mayor failed to give proper consideration to the consultation responses across the various boroughs.
He is supported by Ed Davey, Lib Dem MP for Kingston and Surbiton and spokesman on Home Affairs.
He said: “The Conservatives decision to continue slashing the police budget has left police forces up and down the country forced to decide between keeping officers on the beat or closing community police stations.
“But London’s Labour Mayor can’t simply hide behind these Conservative cuts. Mayor Khan’s top priority must be to keep Londoners safe and use every means to do that.
“With robbery, knife and gun crime on the increase this move is inexplicable and irresponsible. The Liberal Democrats would increase the police budget to keep a reassuring police presence on our street and Londoners safe.”
A spokesman for the Mayor of London reiterated its position that the clo- sures were the result of government cuts since 2010, which left it “no choice but to close buildings in order to save an additional £8 million a year”.
The spokesman continued: “The decision follows a full and robust public consultation with public meetings held in every London borough.
“Around 4,000 Londoners submitted their views, their contributions were carefully considered and in some boroughs changes were made as a result.
“While public concern about closing front counters and police buildings is understandable, response times will not be affected by closures, and operational considerations were fully taken into account.
“More often than not, police officers do not respond from police stations and they are expected to spend more time out on patrol in the areas they are needed most.”
Mr Kohler is raising funds to support his legal challenge through the CrowdJustice site. As of Friday morning it had raised more than £6,700.