Policing on the fringes of London. (From Croydon Guardian)

Policing on the fringes of London.

12:16pm Friday 14th September 2007

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The following item was a 'Letter to the Editor' which did not make the print edition of The Staines Local Guardian this week as it was in competition with views on the proposed third runway at Heathrow and the state of Surrey Roads, amongst other things.
Or was it too much of a 'Hot Potato' subject?
What do other readers on the London fringe of Surrey have to say on this issue?

"A recent item in the Staines Edition of The Local Guardian contained the much overused quote :-
"Surrey's violent crime rate of 136 offences per 10,000 people remains the lowest in England in Wales."
May I please make the following observations:-
Spelthorne has absolutely nothing in common with Surrey.
It was only political gerrymandering which resulted in the break-up of the County of Middlesex.
If my memory serves me right the Surrey and several other county boundaries were drawn to give Surrey, and the other counties, a share of Heathrow’s Business rates. Business Rates are now distributed on a population basis. There is therefore no reason for Spelthorne to remain in Surrey where it will always be neglected and asset stripped. Anyone knows that eventually the Boundary Commission, or whatever body decides such matters, will apply some common sense and make Spelthorne a London Borough.
Even after Middlesex County was abolished Spelthorne sensibly continued to be policed for many years by the Metropolitan Police.
The illogical transfer to the Surrey Police Authority only came as a direct result of the political administration changes made when the Mayor of London set up was established.
From the conversations I have had with some of the few Surrey policemen I have seen in this locality I believe that members of that force resent policing Spelthorne. They see themselves being used “on the cheap’ to do work for which Metropolitan Police Officers would be paid more.
Until common sense does prevail I would much appreciate it if the Surrey Constabulary would stop quoting irrelevant County of Surrey statistics to Spelthorne residents."