The largest-ever public petition, signed by nearly 38,000 people in Bexley, has failed to bring the borough a single extra police officer.

In fact, Bexley might even lose an officer, thanks to proposals due to be decided by the Metropolitan Police Authority on Monday.

The news is likely to provoke fury among the borough's residents who already complain they cannot get a response from the police to incidents because of the police shortage.

Last year, the borough's police-community consultative group raised nearly 38,000 signatures on a petition urging the Met to change the formula it uses for allocating police to the London boroughs.

Under the current formula, Bexley gets only 12.5 officers per 10,000 population lower than any other London borough despite the fact it does not have the lowest crime rate.

Yet despite a whole series of high profile meetings last year with the MPA, its chairman Lord Toby Harris and Met Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens, Bexley has not gained a single extra officer, even though campaigners succeeded in getting them to change the formula.

Everyone involved in the cross-party campaign said they are bitterly disappointed at the outcome.

Both the council leader Mike Slaughter and the chairman of the consultative group Val Clarke wrote to the MPA in time for its Monday meeting, to express their anger.

Cllr Slaughter said: "Bexley has by no means the lowest level of crime in London but is consistently treated as though it has.

"I'm afraid poor resourcing and low clear-up rates will become a permanent feature in Bexley unless these issues are addressed."

Mrs Clarke told the News Shopper:: "How can they justify this to the people of Bexley? It is hugely disappointing all that effort from every section of the community has produced nothing."

She said the figures showed Greenwich and Bromley have 101 more officers than they would have got under the new formula - but they won't be asked to give them up. In fact, Greenwich is getting 25 extra, just to police Belmarsh.

Greater London Assembly member for Bexley, Bob Neill said he has asked Lord Harris to reconsider the decision, describing it as "a slap in the face" for all those who signed the petition.

"The police and the people of Bexley have been badly let down by the top brass. This is a very bad day indeed."

A Bexleyheath police spokesman said: "We are naturally disappointed with the outcome but, locally, we have no control over the central allocation of resources."

All those involved have vowed to fight on.

December 19, 2001 18:00