Reclaiming our streets

One issue which has caused me real frustration as MP and Candidate, is the difficulty that local residents have in dealing with anti-social behaviour. I have witnessed at first hand the suffering to local residents caused by anti-social behaviour and the frustration and obstacles that are put in front of dealing with the problem. As always it is the decent and law abiding that suffer most.

Too often - in part due to legislation introduced by the last Government -dealing with anti-social behaviour problems takes an inordinate amount of time. Moreover, If various 'agencies' decide otherwise, residents have little redress.

For this reason, I am glad that Home Secretary, Theresa May has announced today at the Conservative Conference that this state of affairs will continue no longer. Residents will have recourse to new independent panels if they feel that relevant authorities have not dealt properly with anti-social behaviour in particular instances, they will be able to appeal to the Panel. If the Panel then recommend action, police and local councils will have to respond.

I look forward to this measure being set out in Parliament over coming weeks. It can't come soon enough.

For more details, please see HERE.

Problems for Nazeing residents

To St Giles Church in Nazeing thie evening, to attend a Police Safety Partnership meeting organised by Epping Forest District Councillor Richard Bassett (Lower Nazeing). It was clearly a popular initiative as many members of the public turned up and were given the opportunity of one to one conversations with police officers.

Speaking to most residents present, the same subject came up again and again. Alleged anti-social behaviour from a particular family, in a particular street, causing misery for numerous residents. Cars had been damaged or stolen, people shouted at, houses damaged and much more besides. It didn't matter who I spoke to, it seemed everyone had suffered from the alleged actions of the youths and friends of this family. There seemed to be a lot of feeling that the Police could do more more than they had done to deal with the situation, and some criticisms of what they perceived to be 'a lack of action' by the relevant authorities.

I felt deeply for these residents, feeling that the law-abiding are so often let down by the 'system'. Why should people who do the right thing, who just want to get on with their daily lives, be threatened by anti-social behaviour - by swearing, theft and intimidation? I certainly will be doing all I can to help the residents on this issue, and will be contacting police and other authorities on their behalf. I am glad that they have Cllr. Bassett, already working hard on their behalf.

The picture shows me with Richard, and local resident Yolanda Knight.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

ASB

For some reason Harlow gets a bad press when it comes to anti-social behaviour and crime. Yet Harlow is at the front of some ground breaking preventative on anti-social behaviour. Led by the remarkable Marysa Rudgely and others, Harlow is at the forefront of anti-social behaviour and is doing some ground breaking working on getting young people off the conveyer belt to crime.

I was pleased to make another visit yesterday to Marysia and the team, especially as I bought with me, Caroline Spelman MP(Shadow. Secretary of State for Local Government and Communities. Caroline, who also visited the amazing Crucial Crew told Marysia that she would like to try and replicate her work in her own area in the Midlands.