Met should end perk of expensive flats for senior police officers

Says Caroline Pidgeon

On the day the consultation over the Mayor’s plans to close and sell off police stations across London comes to an end, a call has been made for the Mayor to first examine the continuing practice of senior police officers being offered free accommodation in expensive flats.

Through questioning of the Mayor it has been revealed by Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon that the Met still owns four properties for exclusive use by senior officers of NPCC rank. Over a year ago the four properties were valued at £2.84 million, with one property alone valued at £1.4 million. The four properties also cost over £20,000 per annum to be maintained.

Setting out why these properties should be sold off Caroline Pidgeon AM said:

“It is quite frankly galling to see police stations around London being closed and sold off whilst the Met still provides flats for some of the highest paid police officers in the country.

“The public are rightly concerned at police stations being closed across the city.  If difficult decisions have to made they should apply equally across the Met.

“At a time of a looming budget crisis the Mayor should not hesitate in ordering the immediate disposal of these properties.

“The Mayor should also look at some other perks that still exist in the Met, such as the excessive use of chauffeur driven vehicles by senior Met officers.”