Toddbrook Labour councillor launches E-Petition to tackle crime in Harlow Town Centre
News / Fri 10th Aug 2018 am31 07:48am
Councillor Tony Edwards launches EPetition to tackle crime in Harlow Town Centre
Statement from Cllr Edwards
“As a Harlow District Councillor whose Toddbrook Ward includes the Town Centre I have become increasingly aware of the activities of what appears to be a group or groups of people who meet outside of Adams House and in the Market Square and dominate the surrounding area.They have on occasions reportedly verbally abused and physically intimidated both the staff and customers of the small businesses so much so that businesses have had to close early. Members of the group/groups openly smoke and sell illegal drugs and violent assaults have occasionally been witnessed by members of the public. I have spoken to most of the shopkeepers in the Adams House and Market Square area; the vast majority of whom reiterated major concerns about antisocial behaviour and criminal activity.
As this behaviour appeared to be escalating rather than diminishing, I brought these concerns to the notice of the Harlow Council’s Community Safety Team and to Essex Police Harlow Community Team and with members of Harlow Labour Party instigated a petition which within a week gained over 800 signatures.
I am now able to report that both the Harlow Council Community Safety Team and Essex Police have responded to the concerns and that recently there has been an enhanced Police presence within the Town Centre. I was also heartened to hear that Harlow Council Leader Mark Ingall has met with Roger Hirst the Essex Fire Police and Crime Commissioner, they discussed these concerns and Mark raised with him the need for Harlow to have a fair share of Police resources.
Acknowledging the concerns of businesses, and the public and particularly in light of a recently reported violent incident; the issue now is to ensure that Harlow Town Centre has an ongoing, visible and proactive Police presence.
Harlow Labour Party have now launched an online petition and I would be grateful if readers would sign it and share it with their friends, link below:
As can be seen on the canvases displayed in Broad Walk – Harlow people love Harlow “warts and all” and they need and deserve a safe and welcoming Town Centre
Tony Edwards
Toddbrook Ward Councillor
D.p.l
2018-08-10 08:18:40
I am always in touch with the main deoartment of Harlow council when it comes to crime and anti social behaviour in Harlow and this is becsuse i am 100% dedicated on reducing anti social behaviour in Harlow but If Cllr Edwards along with his leader, Cllr ingall and the rest of the members of the Harlow Labour administrating party is this determined to reduce crime and anti social behaviour in Harlow then he should keep a close eye on the behaviour of his own followers and supporters especially when it's election times. One of their supporters as already replied back to my comment about reducing crime in Harlow by saying that verbal abuse is not a crime, this is because I stated that I have had to put up with more verbal abuse from those who have links to the left wing parties including the Labour party. Talk about leap on the defensive.
MickyB77
2018-08-10 09:41:10
Now if concealed CCTV had been in place, these characters who deter foot-fall in the area, could have been recognised and been arrested and cautioned ages ago. But, as usual, it's have a meeting, then another meeting, and then, let's not be hasty, and so on and on. What the hell is the point of a petition ? Get on with it.
MickyB77
2018-08-10 15:08:03
Come on D.p.l. How many of the contributors here have been bullied,vilified and generally targeted by ONE or two of the Leftie fanatic(s), causing us to become involved in slanging matches, over the last several months, to defend ourselves, and our contribution. The editors have taken note and acted. So,let's all back off and start again.
m ingall
2018-08-11 08:15:57
Micky, again you are missing the point. Like all of the Town Centre, the Market Square area is extensively covered by CCTV already, the issue is that there aren't enough police to respond to incidents, whether they are recorded or not. A few months ago, my neighbour's burglar alarm went off, knowing they were away on holiday and that there had been a couple of burglaries in the estate recently, we called the police, they said they no longer had the resources to respond to burglar alarms. Are you really trying to argue that cuts of 640 Officers in Essex alone can be compensated for by cameras, when there is nobody watching the footage?
MickyB77
2018-08-11 10:38:54
Lot's of un-employed geeky people out there to operate the cameras. I'm sure that they would be grateful for the chance. Not another red herring about cuts, who said that the new technology would enable these cuts to front line policing ? Now we read that 10.000 new police officers could be employed, if, the massive amounts of overtime being worked, by current officers, was curtailed. What about employing local stewards ? We all have tales about no show by the police, how many police are actually employed, operating out of Harlow, and how many support staff too ?
m ingall
2018-08-11 11:48:35
Micky, People to operate cameras cost money to employ, the reason there has been cuts in Officer numbers was to save money. Who will pay for the camera operators or the local stewards? Currently, the number of personnel assigned to the Town Centre is two Officers and two PCSO's, up from the single Officer and one PCSO that was assigned before this issue was raised. Prior to the cuts the Town Centre team was 9 strong.
MickyB77
2018-08-11 11:55:10
The question was, how many PCs operate from Harlow Police Station, and support, etc. Surely, any contribution from the council would be funded by the massive under spend I keep reading about, plus the huge returns from HTS ?
durcant
2018-08-11 13:42:12
It’s important that we debate the issues that matters to Harlow and one is about having a safe and secure town. Whilst we welcome the near 100% CCTV coverage of the town, everyone would prefer to have a visible,accessible and human available for immediate support and help. CCTV records an incident a physical presence deters the incident. It’s reasonable that people prefer to have a person not a camera. It’s reasonable that this service is funded by direct taxation not local taxation. So I welcome the debate and the mature manner by those taking part.
tenpin
2018-08-11 14:20:18
I have to agree with all of what durcant is saying in his last post. The detected crime rate is so low due in the main to a lack of police resource to respond and investigate incidents. It should not be down to Local Authorities to try and plug the gaps in service., It is very disheartening to see that a 14 year old is only fined £20 for carrying a knife twice, what sort of message does that send out to residents? On a slightly different note, it was good to see one on the worlds most expensive table tennis tables, situated in Market Square, being put to use this morning, someone was fast asleep on it! Standing there today in the sunshine only brought home to me even more of what an opportunity was missed when refurbishing that end of the town centre.
MickyB77
2018-08-11 14:20:31
If we already have working, covert,CCTV, why is not producing results ? Who operates, or is responsible for it ? The police,investigating incidents are ALWAYS asking for, I've said it often enough,any web or CCTV, or anything on phone, as evidence, then they go and arrest. They're asking for the pictorial evidence. Obviously the penny isn't dropping,but, we also have to take into account, that this form of policing isn't favoured by the Lefties. Cut the debate and get on with looking after the local residents.
durcant
2018-08-11 14:32:45
MickyB77 next time your in the town centre look up and count the number of camera.i kid you not we must have 100% coverage but it doesn’t deter bad people from causing damage to others.. We need both visible policing and CCTV that can be used if required. We don’t need big brother but we should have a town that is safe and secure. We need to stop the incident not record the incident. As ever incident has a victim. Surly we can agree regardless of political difference on this point This isn’t a political issue it’s a collective community issue,how we arrive at the resolution thats the political choice. Thank you for the mature discussion
m ingall
2018-08-13 08:26:56
Micky, The Independent reports today that Senior Police Officers are concerned that they are failing the public because of cuts to officer numbers. Harlow Labour's concerns vindicated? https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/police-uk-stop-responding-crime-budget-cuts-demand-federation-violence-demand-officers-a8485316.html
MickyB77
2018-08-13 11:25:04
It's all getting out of perspective. Harlow isn't being taken over by gun-toting gangsters, but, by unruly,ignorant, foul mouthed youngsters, who derive great pleasure in annoying people. If apprehended, what sort of punishment ensues ? Didn't we used to have gardening duties and general clearing up for the yobbos to while away their time ? Whatever happened to that programme ? Up-keep of their own communities may just make them realise the worth of having it.
13 Comments for Toddbrook Labour councillor launches E-Petition to tackle crime in Harlow Town Centre: