Sir Robin Wales has spoken of his “dismay” at the short notice residents were given over the closure of East Ham Police Station.

The front counter service at the station in High Street South closed on June 24. It is understood the building is to be sold by the Metropolitan Police Service.

In a letter to Stephen Greenhalgh, London’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Sir Robin said: “I don’t believe residents were properly informed that a central community resource was no longer available to them or given the support to access alternative facilities. “The council was only told of the closure eight working days before it happened. I would like to know why this was rushed through.”

If there had been enough notice, the council would have told residents and taken steps to raise awareness of alternatives, he said.

Police claim the East Ham closure will “allow an improvement in services” at other stations across the borough. The front counter at Forest Gate Police Station in Romford Road will remain open around the clock.

Plaistow and Stratford police stations will be open from 6am to 10pm, though these are expected to be reviewed in September based on customer needs.

There will be regular police surgeries at East Ham Town Hall and drop-in sessions are also planned around the borough.

A spokeswoman for Newham Police said, “We feel it inappropriate to add to the Mayor’s comments at this time but will obviously respond to any specific complaints by community members should this matter be raised.”

In January this year it was revealed that nearly half of Newham’s five police stations were earmarked for closure.

Sir Robin said it was outrageous that Stratford would have no police station.

He also condemned a proposal to axe North Woolwich police station, coinciding with separate plans to close Silvertown Fire Station, as unacceptable, and vowed to write to London Mayor Boris Johnson.

Forest Gate Police Station becomes the only station with a 24-hour front counter under the proposals by the London Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), the body overseeing the Met’s £3.6billion budget and annual targets.