A public meeting has been called to discuss plans to sell-off Camden’s police stations and leave the borough with just one fully-functioning police station – in Holborn.

Labour’s community safety lead, Cllr Abdul Hai, is pressing for changes to the closure plans

Camden Labour are challenging the Tory proposals, which would mean that local residents would have to travel for miles to even be able to report a crime.

Councillor Abdul Hai, Labour’s community safety lead, said “The consultation with the community that has taken place so far has been shambolic. It beggars belief that the Tories are reducing police numbers but also want to sell off Albany Street, Hampstead and West Hampstead police stations and leave us with just one fully-functioning station in the far south of the borough.

“I fear that this decision is motivated by a desire to maximise short-term financial return by flogging off essential community facilities.  We will be left with no counter service in the north of the borough.  A police station, open and serving the community, reassures the community and reduces fear of crime.”

Labour councillors have actively opposed the sell-off plans and a public meeting will now be held with the police borough commander in West Hampstead library on 7^th March from 6.30pm -8.00pm.

“We will ensure that Camden is heard on this issue and that our residents are given a real say on how they are policed,” added Cllr Hai.

“First, it is vital that we retain a counter service in the north of the borough to help people living there. Second,we will press for Kentish Town police station to remain open 24 hours a day as we need a fully functioning police station closer to the centre of Camden.”

As well as the public meeting at West Hampstead library, Cllr Hai will also be chairing a meeting with the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, who is coming to Camden on 20^th March at 6.30pm at Haverstock School (doors open at 6pm for refreshments).  This will be an opportunity for Camden residents to listen to his vision for London and put questions on policing matters.

Local Labour councillors welcomed news today that Camden is to decide next week on providing a new primary school for NW6.

Papers for the Cabinet meeting on 18 July published today show the Cabinet will consider approving plans to allow Kingsgate primary school to expand, onto a new site on Liddell Road, West Hampstead.  The new site will host an additional two forms per year, creating 420 places in total.  Kingsgate was rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted last year. It is a community primary school in Kilburn ward.

Last week's Ham & High reports on the problem

Labour has campaigned for a new school in NW6 to meet the huge demand for school places west of the Finchley Road. Our campaign has highlighted figures from Camden showing the need for a new school.

Of the 153 children across Camden who hadn’t received an offer of a primary school place as of 1 May, 104 – more than two-thirds – live west of the Finchley Road.

Kilburn councillor Mike Katz said: “This is great news for parents in NW6.  Camden’s own figures show how desperately we need a new primary school in our area. Labour has been campaigning with parents to make this happen – and it’s fantastic that the council has listened.

Kilburn councillor Thomas Gardiner added: “The Government’s legislation actually prevents councils from opening new community schools, so it hasn’t been easy to find a solution to this problem.  Even though local schools Emmanuel and Kingsgate are each taking a one-off bulge class of 30 extra pupils this year, demand is so high that there is still more than another class’ worth of children without a place.

Kilburn councillor Maryam Eslamdoust continued: “If the current pressure on schools wasn’t enough, there are a number of new new developments planned for the area, like the Abbey regeneration in Kilburn and those such as ‘West End Square’ in West Hampstead, which will mean more families in NW6, and thus more demand for primary places.  Not having a school place is hugely disruptive for the education of those children affected, and extremely stressful for their parents, so this is really welcome news.

Camden’s press release on the proposals can be found here.  For more information on Labour’s camapign and the problem of demand for school places in NW6, visit the Kilburn Rose blog here.

Local councillors and Labour activists in Kilburn, Swiss Cottage, West Hampstead and Fortune Green ward are campaigning for the creation of a new primary school in the area due to the unmet demand for places locally.

Kilburn councillor Mike Katz said, “There is real demand for primary school places west of the Finchley Road, so, my fellow Kilburn councillors and Labour activists in the area are supporting parents’ calls for this demand to be met, campaigning for a new primary school in NW6”.

The area is part of Camden where there is a shortage of primary school places. Estimates by the council also suggest that future housing developments in the area mean that demand on primary school places in the north-west of the borough is likely to remain high.

Labour councillor Mike Katz added, “This is something which the council has thought about, but we need to demonstrate that there is strong local support for a new primary school for the area. We’ve set up a petition, on- and off-line where local people can show their support for this call.  Please sign it, and encourage others to do the same”.