A local Conservatives’ petition to save Wandsworth’s last police station has seen the Mayor of London partially u-turn on his full closure plans with a pledge to keep the station open with reduced hours.
In the summer, Labour London Mayor Sadiq Khan proposed to close the public police counter at Lavender Hill police station, despite a promise he gave when seeking election last year that every London borough would keep a police counter that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The proposed closure would have meant residents in our neighbourhood would have to travel either to Hammersmith, Brixton or Kingston to see the police in person.
Wandsworth Conservatives campaigned against this move, and more than 900 residents signed the Conservatives’ petition opposing the closure. Mayor Khan has now backtracked – the police counter at Lavender Hill will remain open, though not 24/7.
Cllr Aled Richards-Jones, Leader of the Conservative Group, said:
“Residents have real concerns about crime and a lack of a police presence locally. Whilst we welcome this partial u-turn from the Mayor of London, residents won’t forget the Mayor’s decision to break his manifesto pledge and reduce the hours at Lavender Hill police station. Instead of a 24/7 service, it will now be reduced to 12 hours on weekdays and 10 hours at weekends. There will be no walk-in provision in Wandsworth at night.”
Labour Assembly member brands petition to save the police station “irrelevant”
However, London Assembly Member Leonie Cooper branded the petition “irrelevant” at a meeting of Wandsworth Council on 22 October 2025.
Ms Cooper’s remarks were made during the debate on a motion brought by Conservative councillors drawing attention to the Mayor’s u-turn:1During the council debate, Ms Cooper stated:2
“We felt quite able on this side to spring into action against this proposed closure of Lavender Hill police station. I was not afraid to speak out against it…We didn't feel that we needed to follow your lead and your somewhat irrelevant petition.”
Commenting on Ms. Cooper’s remarks, Cllr Tom Pridham, councillor for Lavender ward, said:
“It’s disappointing to hear the borough’s London Assembly Member brush off residents’ concerns about reducing police presence in the borough as ‘irrelevant’, particularly as her remarks came only a day after the appalling fatal stabbing of a 19-year-old man just yards from Lavender Hill.
If Leonie Cooper had paid greater attention to our petition, she would have understood the strength of feeling towards the Mayor of London keeping his pledge to retain a 24/7 counter at the station, and she would have challenged him properly on his manifesto breach.”
Wandsworth Conservatives continue to campaign to return the police counter at Lavender Hill Police Station open for 24/7. You can continue to support the campaign here.
