By Cllr Pauline Jorgensen
Crime and anti-social behaviour can be a blight on our communities, even somewhere like Wokingham Borough, seen to be one of the best places to live in the country.
As a local councillor, I regularly help residents with issues of this nature. While the Council has some powers to act, particularly through the public spaces protection orders steered through by the previous Conservative administration, it also needs to act in concert with the police.
At last Thursday’s Wokingham Borough Full Council meeting, I took the opportunity to join with other councillors in asking questions of the Thames Valley Police Chief Constable, and our local Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).
Having been speaking to shopkeepers, I raised the issue of shoplifting in Woodley.
Matthew Barber, the PCC, told me about the work that the police is doing to work in partnership with businesses to encourage more reporting and undertaking more crime prevention measures.
The PCC and the Chief Constable provided us with an update on how the police are working to tackle crime. Thames Valley Police now has a record number of officers, and violent crime in the region is one of the lowest in the country. The police have a renewed focus on tackling retail crime, working with local businesses and changing patrol patterns.
Earlier this year, the police launched a Crime Fighters Plan to make it easier for the public to report crime.
The PCC also spoke eloquently about the scourge of knife crime. Thames Valley Police has just completed a week of action to deal with knife crime along with other forces. The PCC has also pushed for a harder response for possession of a knife. There has been progress in the last 12 months, with knife crime down 4%.
As a local representative, I have a strong working relationship with our local MPs and our PCC.
I recently heard from residents about issues they have experienced with vehicle crime, bicycle theft and burglary in Green Park Village.
I believe it is important to deal with low level crime before it escalates into something more serious, so I raised concerns with Matthew.
In all areas of Thames Valley, the number of police officers in neighbourhood teams is being doubled this year. Locally, this will mean more uniformed officers in Green Park Village as visible policing increases with targeted hotspot patrols.
The Crime Fighters Plan he agreed with the Chief Constable also means greater focus on neighbourhood crime like burglary, vehicle crime and robbery as well as dealing with hidden crimes of domestic abuse, cyber crime and sexual offences.
At a national level, the Government is taking action. In the recent King’s Speech, the Government proposed not only introducing a bill to strengthen policing powers around digital-enabled crime, but also to extend the length of prison sentences for serious crimes. There will also be a Bill to recognise the Victims Code in law, and to state minimum levels of service for victims of crime.
Whether it’s your Conservative local councillors, MPs, Police and Crime Commissioner, or the Conservatives in Government, we are dedicated to making sure our streets and communities are safe for the benefit of everyone.
Cllr Pauline Jorgensen is the leader of Wokingham Conservatives and ward member for Hillside
