Police Consult on New Cells

11.44.01am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 27th Nov 2006

The local police have launched a public consultation on their proposals to create a purpose built Custody Centre at Teddington Police Station housing an average 30 prisoners per day to replace existing accommodation at Twickenham, Richmond and Kingston. There will be a public meeting on 19th December to consider the residents' views.

Vincent Cable MP has campaigned for improvements in custody cell provision and has been seeking assurances that local custody cells will not be used for prison overspill as John Reid suggested a few weeks go; but acknowledges that local concerns need to be put at rest:

"There are undoubtedly concerns about noise and construction work in the immediately surrounding area, notably White Heron Mews, which the Police will have to address to secure planning consent.

"But there is little doubt that a new custody cell complex is badly needed. There is a shortage of cells. And at present there is a lot of wasted police time supervising and transporting prisoners from separate police stations. I believe that, in the past, people have been released into the community, who should have been detained, because of lack of cell space and this must not be allowed to happen.

"I believe there is some wider concern in Teddington about expanding cell provision. This would be justified if the cells were to be used for long term prisoners, as prison overspill, as the Home Secretary has suggested. I have, therefore, asked the Metropolitan Police Commissioner to confirm that this will definitely not be the case."