NICK ALSTON: A Crime-Fighter for Essex

Nick Alston - Conservative candidate for Essex Police and Crime Commissioner - has today pledged to "stand up for Harlow".

An ex-Navy officer, Nick is no stranger to fighting crime. He was even born into a police family in Essex, his father retiring as Essex Deputy Chief Constable in 1971. Nick, who went to school in Chelmsford, later served as an officer in the Royal Navy and in public service working in national defence and security. He was appointed CBE in 1997.

Why am I backing him to be Essex Police and Crime Commissioner?

Nick Alston - a crime-fighter for Essex.

Because Nick Alston is an Essex man, who has spent his life fighting crime. When we met last week, we discussed the serious problems that we face in Harlow and the villages - from anti-social behaviour in the town centre, to burglaries, to illegal traveller encampments.

Only last week for example, we suffered from an illegal traveller camp on London Road in Harlow. There have been other difficulties in Sheering, and earlier this year near St. Marks' School. To his credit, Nick has pledged to take a tough line.

As a Police and Crime Commissioner, he told me that he will work tirelessly to reduce crime and to uphold the law. For example, he would press the police to find solutions, including legal action when necessary, to clear the site if the travellers do not move on. That is what convinces me - he is the right man for the job.

In a public statement, Nick Alston said:

"Harlow residents expect the Police to protect the town's green spaces. It is an important local priority. If I am elected in November, that is exactly what will happen. My message is simple: We need policing which meets the needs of each and every local community in Harlow, and which keeps the concerns of the victims of crime at its core. I want a more prompt and professional police response - every time. There needs also to be a joint and greater focus on stamping out anti-social behaviour, which is not just a policing issue. My experience in national and international security will ensure the people of Essex and the Essex Police have an experienced and influential voice to represent them. With your help, I would be honoured to serve Harlow, as the Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex."

by Robert Halfon MP - Working Hard for Harlow.

VIDEO: Should private firms police the Olympics?

Following the fiasco involving the G4S security firm - who have now said that they may be unable to supply the 10,000 security officers for the 2012 Olympics - today in Parliament I asked the Home Secretary to consider whether private security firms should be involved at all in future state events.

To the Home Secretary's credit, she came to Parliament to answer questions - even though the mistake had actually been made by private firm G4S.

Given that the British Army has now been drafted in, G4S now have serious questions to answer. You can watch the full video above.

by Robert Halfon MP - Working Hard for Harlow.

JOB OPPORTUNITY: Do YOU have what it takes to be a Police and Crime Commissioner?

The Conservative Party needs a candidate for the job of Police and Crime Commissioner in Essex: COULD IT BE YOU?

We need a Harlow candidate and I would encourage local residents to put themselves forward.

Applications are NOW OPEN for anyone who would like to apply to stand. The law has been changed so that after the November elections, the Chief Constable of each county will report to an elected county Police and Crime Commissioner, instead of to the existing county police authorities.

This is about cutting crime and anti-social behaviour in our town, and helping to put more police on the street. Harlow has some experienced people who would make fantastic candidates. Whether they are ex-Police Officers, or have been senior leaders in other fields, I am encouraging Harlow people to go for it, and put themselves forward.

Police and Crime Commissioners will not be expected to run the police. However, they WILL hold Chief Constables and the wider force to account, and keep them in touch with public opinion.

The Conservatives will choose who will be their candidate this May, in preparation for the elections on Thursday, November 15.

This is a very big change in the way our Police are held accountable. Essex Conservatives are determined to field the very best candidate - and I believe we need someone from Harlow. You don’t have to be an active Conservative or even a member of the Party to apply. There are no formal qualifications required, but we are looking for people with a genuine track record of leadership.

Anyone who would like to apply to be the Conservative candidate in the forthcoming elections for Essex Police and Crime Commissioner can write to me at halfon4harlow@roberthalfon.com

Community Newsletter - Apprenticeships rocket by 78 per cent in Harlow

Dear Resident,

In Harlow
* Last Sunday I was invited to celebrate Chinese New Year – the Year of the Dragon. Harlow has one of the largest Chinese community centres outside any major city in the UK.It is not just a meeting place, but a school, a centre of adult learning and also a club for the local Chinese. Food and special ceremonies abounded.

* Following a series of accidents in recent years I have launched a petition calling for road safety measures on Crooked Mile, which runs between Nazeing and Waltham Abbey. Essex County Council has said it will reduce the speed limit to 50mph but this is not sufficient to improve the safety of the road and so I urge people to sign the petition online. You can sign it HERE.

* On Monday I spoke with constituents on a range of issues when I held one of my regular surgeries at the Harlow Enterprise Hub and welcomed a party from Harlow College for a tour of Westminster.

* On Thursday I met with Lord Hill to discuss the academy programme - which are helping to get extra funds into Harlow schools.

* On Friday I held a surgery at Tanys Dell School and met with David Kerry to learn more about the work of Attwaters solicitors in Harlow.

* I also met children of Maple Class, (age 6-7) at Milwards Primary School after they sent me pictures of rubbish/boarded up windows and broken glass near the school. Rightly, they want to see the area improved, and I will do all that I can to help.

In Parliament

* There was good news this week regarding apprenticeships, which have increased by 78 per cent in Harlow. Funding for apprenticeships is rocketing, and on top of this the Government has announced that from this week businesses and training providers from Harlow can bid for a share of £6 million from the Higher Apprenticeship Fund, which will support the development of thousands of new Higher Apprenticeships in sectors including aerospace, energy and renewable technologies.

* Also, small and medium-sized businesses from Harlow who hire young apprentices will now be eligible for a £1,500 bonus, with up to 40,000 payments available. Harlow businesses can also bid for a share of a £250 million fund to boost skills in their workplace, giving employers rather than training providers direct access to funding for training.

* Home Secretary Theresa May this week praised the work of Essex Police after I highlighted the fall in crime in Harlow. Crime has fallen in Harlow in the last year with 18 fewer incidents of violence against the person, 63 fewer incidents of criminal damage (including arson), 87 fewer dwelling burglaries and 26 fewer incidents of harassment and anti-social behaviour.

* As a keen supporter of apprentices and apprenticeships, on Tuesday I was invited to a reception held at Westminster to mark National Apprenticeship Week, and on Friday I attended an apprentice breakfast at Harlow College.

Praise for Essex Police from Home Secretary

Today I asked the Home Secretary if she would praise Essex Police for the incredible work they have done, helping to cut serious crime in Harlow.

You can read the question and response below:

Robert Halfon (Harlow): "Thank you Mr Speaker. Following on from my Hon. Friend, who just spoke, is my Rt Hon. Friend also aware that in Harlow crime has fallen since 2010. With 87 fewer burglaries and 63 fewer cases of criminal damage, amongst many others. Does this not show, that community lead policing, with limited resources, does make a difference and will she pay tribute to Essex Police?"

Theresa May (Home Secretary): "I am indeed happy to join my Hon. Friend in paying a tribute to Essex Police and the work that they have been doing in his constituency and others, which are covered by Essex Police. And I think we do indeed see the value of community lead policing and that is why Chief Constables up and down the country, are making every effort to ensure they get Police Officers out of back office posts, and actually out into the front line which is where people want to see them."

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Crime is falling in Harlow

A new investigation into crime in Harlow has been published today.

It shows that in most serious categories, crime in Harlow FELL last year. The Harlow figures from the Office of National Statistics are:

• Violence Against the Person (Harlow): 18 fewer crimes per year

• Criminal Damage including Arson (Harlow): 63 fewer crimes per year

• Burglary in a Dwelling (Harlow): 87 fewer crimes per year

• Harassment and Anti-Social Behaviour (Harlow): 26 fewer crimes per year.

This is good news, and a real credit to Harlow's hardworking Police Officers, Special Constabulary, and PCSOs, as well as the volunteers from our church community in the Street Pastor project. Their work is having a genuine impact. They are Harlow's heroes. We are lucky to have them.

The national Government is also doing its bit. I regularly meet with the Chief Constable of Essex and the Home Secretary, and they have worked hard to focus resources on the frontline, helping Essex Police to hire 55 new community officers this year (bringing the total up from 472 to 527). 

This has been helped by a Policing revolution in Britain, with brand new services for the public, such as this new "crime map". This service is giving Harlow residents a detailed picture of how crime and anti-social behaviour is happening right our streets.

From May this year police.uk will also show the action taken by Harlow's police after a crime.

More reform is on the way. This November, Harlow residents will have the first chance EVER to elect a Police and Crime Commissioner. Crime is coming down, which is good news. But violent crime and burglaries are still unacceptably high. That is why I will be campaigning for a tough Police Commissioner in Essex to keep crime coming down.

You can see my full report "Safer Streets - Harlow 2012" if you click HERE. 

SAFER STREETS 2012 - how crime is coming down in Harlow

Safer Streets Report - Harlow 2012
by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Cracking Down on Scrap Metal Theft

In recent months, Harlow has been hit by an epidemic of scrap metal thefts. The most outrageous was the shocking theft of a bronze plaque from the Harlow holocaust memorial, just before Christmas.

The problem is that a few thieves, with an eye on rising metal prices, have stripped church roofs and ripped up railway cable - causing misery for the victims.

Over several months, I have urged the Government to tackle this dreadful crime. Today, I am grateful that the Home Secretary has listened, and has set out a series of tough actions in Parliament:

1) First, there will be amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill. This will prohibit the use of cash to pay for scrap metal, and significantly increase the penalties for scrap metal dealers who are convicted of wrongdoing. This will include unlimited fines for the most serious offenders.

2) Second, the Government has announced £5 million to establish a dedicated metal theft taskforce. This will be a group of Police officers, responsible for developing intelligence of the suspected thieves, and visiting every scrap metal dealer to undertake an assessment of risk and working to disrupt illegal operators.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Harlow Community Update

Last week I visited a number of Harlow Community groups and local businesses, as I often do. Here's a brief update:

HARLOW COLLEGE
For the second time since becoming Harlow’s MP, I attended the Essex Police Keeping Safe show at Harlow College. This is incredibly important for young students, as it shows the tragedy of knife crime, and how it can ruin people's lives. The event was put on by two of our hardworking Police PCSOs: Karen Rogers and Phyllis Chipchase. They said that knife crime has dropped in Harlow over the last year, which is encouraging.

O-I MANUFACTURING
I’m incredibly proud that Harlow has one of the largest glass bottle manufacturers in the world: O-I Manufacturing. I was honoured to meet the bosses at O-I Manufacturing, and talk to them about their work: creating glass bottles for companies like Coca Cola and Carlsberg. They're also the largest glass recycler in the south-east. At the same time, it is a shame that of the 1.6 Million Tonnes of glass collected each year for recycling; only 600,000 Tonnes goes to recycling centres like the one at O-I. This isn't good enough, and we have to get better on green issues. I’ll be looking forward to going back to O-I early next year to go around the plant.

HARLOWBURY PRIMARY SCHOOL CHRISTMAS FETE

Last stop of the day: the Harlowbury School’s Christmas Fete. It was fantastic to see all the Parents, Teachers and Children all getting stuck in raising cash for charity. But the greatest thing was the generosity of local firms, in helping to support the school by donating goodies for the raffle. I also did a little bit of shopping and got a lovely Christmas present for my partner, Vanda. I genuinely love going around schools like Harlowbury, and look forward to having more of their students come to Parliament next year.

You can read last week's update here.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Statement in Response to Essex Police "Blueprint" Reform

Whilst I understand the reduction of hours in smaller Police stations, I think it is a major mistake not to have 24-hour access to the Police station in a busy town like Harlow - especially on weekends. I will be making this clear to the Essex Chief Constable and the Home Secretary as I respond to the consultation. Above all, we need to know how many people are using Harlow Police station after midnight.

On the plus side, Harlow Police station will still be manned 24-hours a day, even if it is not open to the public between midnight and 8am. The front counter may be shut, but the building will still be used as a base, and Police officers will be highly visible in the town centre. In fact, we will have more Police on our streets, with 55 new community officers (472 to 527) across Essex.

On top of this, I have been given strong assurances that Harlow Police patrols will continue 24-hours a day, and all crime hotlines and Police contact numbers will stay open 24-hours a day, too. Finally, the Police are setting up a new state of the art "Crime Bureau" to target anti-social behaviour in our town. This will also operate 24-hours a day.

You can read more detail HERE on the Essex Police website. This includes a video from Essex Chief Constable Jim Barker McCardle explaining his proposals.


by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Council Tax discounts for Special Constables

On Monday, the Government present an incredibly important piece of legislation in the House of Commons.  The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill - if passed - will lead to a real policing revolution across our country.  The main part of the Bill will give local people the chance to decide the kind of policing they want for their neighbourhood.  For the first time, Residents will be able to elect local Police Commissioners, who will decide police priorities. The Bill also tightens up laws on drug abuse and licensing law, giving local councils more powers to close unruly bars, clubs and pubs.

I hope to bring an amendment to the Bill.  As regular readers of my blog will know, I have argued a number of times that we seriously need to boost the Special Constabulary. As the picture shows, a few weeks ago, I met with the Home Secretary to push the case for Specials.  Accompanying me was the Chief Constable of Essex.

One idea is to allow Councils to discount Council Tax for those who become Specials. This would act as an incentive, and would give something back to those Specials, who do so much to give their efforts to communities.  My Amendment would make this possible.

Today in the Commons, I asked the Government if they support my amendment.  I was very encouraged by the reply.

Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con): Has my right hon. Friend seen my early-day motions 520, 598 and 1,160?

[That this House welcomes the statement by the right hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs that there is a `huge untapped potential' for recruiting more special constables in the future; notes that the number of specials in Essex has doubled over the past four years to nearly 700 officers; further notes the public service of special constables, who are dedicated volunteers, often working in hazardous conditions; believes that transforming the Special Constabulary into a Territorial Army-type force would enable specials to cover more policing duties and would offer excellent value for money, sustaining frontline operational services; further believes that specials are a genuinely local force, like Neighbourhood Watch, who offer an invaluable source of community intelligence; and therefore calls upon the Government to refocus its resources to incentivise special constables, so that they can work more hours and develop professionally.]

Will my right hon. Friend make a statement on what steps the Government are taking to support special constables, and will he support my planned amendment to the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill that would give local authorities the power to give special constables a discount on their council tax?

Sir George Young: I endorse my hon. Friend’s support for special constables. As I announced a few moments ago, we are debating the Second Reading of the police Bill on Monday, and if he were lucky enough to serve on the Public Bill Committee, he would have an opportunity to table his amendment to exempt special constables from paying council tax. I should add that powers already exist to allow police authorities, with the support of the chief constable, to pay an allowance to some or all special constables in their area, and the Government also want to do what they can to increase the number of special constables.

The Motion about my proposed amendment is as follows:

SUPPORT FOR SPECIAL CONSTABLES

08.12.2010

Halfon, Robert

That this House urges that special constables be supported by local authorities through discounts on or exemptions to their council tax; notes that this idea is fully supported by the Association of Chief Police Officers and has been trialled in the form of a 100 per cent. rebate by Southampton City Council; congratulates the 696 special constables in Essex and the 14,251 special constables in England and Wales on their dedication and service; and calls on the Government to bring forward legislative proposals to provide a power to local authorities to exempt special constables from paying council tax, or to give them a substantial discount. 

Meeting with the Home Secretary

Today I brought the Chief Constable of Essex to meet with the Home Secretary, to discuss boosting Special Constables, and the case for keeping Harlow's Magistrate's Court.

Chief Constable Mr Jim Barker-McCardle also spoke about a number of wider police issues, and the potential impact on policing if we lost the Court. I believe that a Magistrate's Court is vital for Harlow, as we are a major growth town. The Ministry of Justice already admit that our Court is a busy and thriving place, as it is used Monday to Friday.

Some of the potential implications for policing include increased travel time, and time away from the beat for police officers attending court to give evidence and on other business (although it might be possible for officers to give evidence by way of video link in future arrangements). The likely implications for victims and witnesses were also raised as they too would experience longer journeys.

Overall, it was a productive meeting. The Home Secretary was confident that despite the tough decisions that we have to take on the economy, Essex Police will be well-placed to continue their work in Harlow. For example, the Essex Police are committed to keeping Harlow Police Station open for 24-hours a day.

Also, during the meeting, I raised the idea of voluntary 'railway' Special Constables. Their sole focus would be to patrol the platforms to identify any suspicious behaviour, and prevent it. They would be community volunteers - and would have similar powers to other Special Constables. Hopefully, this would help to reduce fatalities on the London to Harlow train line, which have been a problem in recent years.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Crime and Policing

A few days ago I took part in an important debate in Parliament, about crime and policing in Harlow.

I made the point that the Essex Police are very innovative. Despite the terrible economy, I am glad that their Chief Constable has no plans to cut frontline policing. He has also pledged to keep the Harlow Police Station open for 24-hours a day.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Special Constables : How to Transform our Police

For many years, I have believed that Special Constables could be transformed into a Territorial Army-type Reserve Force.

This would transform local policing, and create a genuine community force. It would cut costs too.

I raised it again yesterday in the House of Commons. You can read my speech HERE or watch the video below:

Here is what Nick Herbert, the Minister for Police, said in reply:

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com