Nork Residents' Association

"Banstead Police Station is to close and desk counter facilities will not be provided in future in the area".

That was the message from Chief Superintendent Gavin Stevens at a public meeting in the Banstead Church Institute on 31st August.

Old police buildings costs Surrey Police £2.4m a year
The meeting was told that retaining old police buildings costs Surrey Police £2.4m a year and the average cost to the force of a visit to a police station cost £82. Surrey Police is desperately short of funding and has already reduced its number of senior police officers seeking savings.

This reduction in their buildings across the County is a further step in the economy drive and is intended to enable Surrey Police to recruit up to 200 extra police officers. It was thought this would lead to the addition of a police constable and a detective constable strengthening our Safe Neighbourhood Team in due course.

Safer Neighbourhood Police Team to be moved out of Banstead Police Station
Our Safer Neighbourhood Police Team will therefore be moved out of Banstead Police Station, together with other officers who are based there, and the site will be sold. The meeting was asked to suggest where the Neighbourhood Team might best be based. The requirement was a room of 350 sq ft, parking for four vehicles and a cycle store.

Many members of the packed meeting were concerned to lose the police presence in Banstead High Street. Most suggestions for the Team centred on The Horseshoe in Banstead.

To respond to concerns at the loss of front counter facilities, the meeting was told that Reigate Police Station would continue to be open and that contact with the Neighbourhood Police team would be by telephone and they would be content to visit residents' homes.

The police have had a period of consultation from 12 July to 12 September and the results will be presented to the Surrey Police Authority in November.