The Scoop

Police spend millions "improving" Scotland Yard before selling it

Adam Bienkov | Tuesday 27 November, 2012 14:56

The Metropolitan Police spent over £18 million refurbishing New Scotland Yard in the past two years, before announcing plans to sell it.

The “improvement works” included tearing down partition walls and a £5.5 million refurbishment of two floors at the building, due to begin this month.

The Met intends to sell the building as part of £500 million worth of cuts being implemented by Mayor Boris Johnson.

Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon said today that the Met were guilty of a “terrible waste of public money”:

“To spend so many millions on improvements to New Scotland Yard just before selling the building does seem a terrible waste of public money. Although I have no objection to New Scotland Yard being sold off at some point and a new central office being found for the Metropolitan Police Service the decision must be carefully planned and be part of a long term plan to make best use of all police buildings, not just a knee jerk reaction to a tough budget settlement.”

The Met are also considering plans to close a number of police stations across London and dozens of station front counters.

At this month’s Mayor’s Question Time, Boris Johnson said he was exploring the idea of setting up “pop-up” stations in places like supermarket cafes instead.

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