Richmond borough, which is set to see its last police station front desk shut, is planning legal action against the Metropolitan Police and Mayor of London.

Richmond Council said the decision to close the front counter at Twickenham Police Station had been taken without consultation, clear evidence and consideration for vulnerable residents who rely on face-to-face support.

The Met announced it was closing 10 police station front desks in October, leaving London with just two front desks operating 24 hours a day. A total of 27 front counters will remain open across the capital, down from 37, in a move expected to save the Met roughly £7million.

The cost-cutting measure is part of £260m worth of savings the force said it needs to make by reducing services and slashing around 1,700 officer and staff roles.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan repeatedly pledged to keep at least one 24-hour front desk open in each London borough, but has since supported the Met's plans.

The closure at Twickenham Police Station would leave Richmond as one of only five London boroughs with no police front desk at all.

Richmond Council leader Gareth Roberts said the authority had been left with no choice but to act over concerns about a lack of consultation and the impact on residents. He described the decision as "a risk to accessibility, trust and public safety".

The council has sent a pre-action protocol letter to the Met Police and Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) outlining its concerns, including that there was a failure to consult residents, the authority or local stakeholders on the proposals.

The letter claims a lack of evidence was provided to show the closure was justified or that alternatives had been explored, there was insufficient consideration of the impact on vulnerable residents requiring face-to-face support and the decision departed from previous pledges to maintain one front desk per borough.

Councillor Roberts said: "Despite previous assurances from the Met and MOPAC that every borough would retain at least one 24/7 front counter, this decision has been taken without consultation, without a clear evidence base, and without consideration for those residents who rely on in-person contact.

"We have initiated legal proceedings to ensure that decisions of this scale are taken lawfully, transparently, and with proper regard for the communities they affect."

He slammed the move as the latest in a line of decisions that undermine neighbourhood policing, including the disbandment of the Royal Parks Police after 150 years of service in November.

Councillor Roberts added: "Trust in policing is already fragile. Removing the last physical point of contact from an entire borough sends entirely the wrong message to residents who simply want to feel safe and know the police are accessible.

"Our call is not about resisting change, it is about ensuring that changes are made properly and with residents' needs at the centre."

The council is calling for the closure to be suspended pending the outcome of legal proceedings, and for the Met and MOPAC to reinstate a borough-level plan for accessible, in-person policing.

The authority is waiting for the Met and MOPAC to respond to its letter. It will seek to launch a judicial review of the decision if a resolution is not found, where a judge will assess its lawfulness.

A MOPAC spokesperson said: "We have received a letter before claim from the London Borough of Richmond in relation to the closure of the front counter at Twickenham police station. We will respond in due course."