In January, Harrow was given the news two of its police stations had been earmarked for closure by the Mayor of London.

The announcement came from Mayor Boris Johnson following the publication of his draft police and crime plan, which included proposals to close Pinner police station and the police counter in the Civic Centre.

The publication was the start of changes to policing in Harrow, which included the allocation of 50 extra officers for the borough.

During the month, then borough commander for Harrow Chief Superintendent Dal Babu announced he would be retiring after 30 years in the police force.

Speaking to the Harrow Times, he praised the religious and cultural diversity of the borough after seeing off a protest from the English Defence League when he first arrived at his post.

Parents and children were dismayed to find out the funding for youth music group might be stopped due to cut in a subsidy from Harrow Borough Council.

Harrow Young Musicians (HYM) feared they would lose their funding due to cuts from the council.

However later in the year money was found by the authority to save the programme, which allows up to 400 children in the borough to be part of bands and orchestras.

There was also outrage at proposals to keep parks in the borough unlocked at nights as part of the the Labour administration's budget.

Opposition councillors warned the policy of returning parks to open space would lead to an increase in anti social behaviour in areas around parks.