The police office and front desk at Millbank House in Surbiton could close as part of Met Police cost-cutting measures, it was announced today.

The office was only opened in February 2011 after the closure and sell-off of Surbiton police station.

The volunteer run desk in CI Tower New Malden had been thought to have been in the firing line, according to a report leaked to the Evening Standard before Christmas.

Derek Osbourne, leader of Kingston Council, said: "We would regret any counter closing and would want to know substantial reasons for it.

"When I was at a London Councils meeting addressed by the commissioner [Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe], he said they were going to be closing front counters that were only getting two visits a day.

"It’s very difficult to argue against that sort of thing, but I would ask for some real information on the use of this counter to see if we agree with the police’s view."

The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime said it was reducing the amount of space police took up, selling surplus buildings and reinvesting in smaller, more efficient, facilities.

Also released were draft plans which the Mayor's office said would increase in the number of frontline police officers across all London boroughs.

Kingston would see its safer neighbourhood teams double in size from the 2011 figure of 46 officers and community support officers, to 92 by 2015.

The borough would also see the overall number of officer increase from 278 in 2011 to 313 in 2015.

Both reports form the basis of a public consultation which runs until March 6.

A meeting will be held in the council chambers at Kingston Guildhall on Wednesday, February 27, from 6-7pm, to allow the public to put across their views.

To register for the event, visit london.gov.uk/events/kingston-upon-thames

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