Kevin Hurley, Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey, has paused the sale of ten police stations in Surrey.
These are:
Esher, Haslemere, Epsom, Leatherhead, Old Woking, Banstead, Camberley, Horley, Sunbury and Chertsey.
The disposals of Egham and East Molesey Police stations are near completion and will continue.
One of the Commissioner’s first actions upon taking office was to call for a review of the policy of police station disposals in the county which began in 2010.
The sales have been suspended to ensure that the best possible value is being recouped for these properties. There is no plan to reopen any of the properties as police stations.
Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Jeff Harris, who led on the stations review on behalf of the PCC, said:
“Over the last few weeks, at the Commissioner’s request I have looked in detail at the estates disposal policy initiated in 2010.
“The basic logic of the policy remains sound – co-locating police teams with councils has helped improve services to the public. Closing ageing and barely-used stations has reduced our maintenance costs.
“However I think the time is right to look at the disposals currently underway and assess whether we can take a more commercially-minded approach to maximise their value.”
Police and Crime Commissioner Kevin Hurley said:
“I want to be absolutely certain that we are getting the maximum possible value for the public from these assets.
“Pausing these ten sales gives us the opportunity to assure ourselves that we are not missing any opportunities to do better for the public.”