Old Harlow councillor responds to another night of violence
Crime / Sat 24th Nov 2018 pm30 07:55pm
AN OLD Harlow councillor has responded to residents fears after another night of violence on the streets.
Four men were taken to hospital after a fight on Market Street in the early hours of Saturday November 24th.
A police spokesman said: “We arrested a 23-year-old man and an 18-year-old man on suspicion of assault and a 27-year-old man on suspicion of possession of drugs.
“They remain in custody for questioning.”
Cllr Joel Charles said: “Several residents have emailed me today about the brawl that took place in Old Harlow during the early hours of this morning.
This is not the first incident to take place in Market Street. It is important that Essex Police are given the space to carry out their investigation, but I hope that those individuals who carried out the violent assault face the full force of the law.
For several months, I have been working with Harlow Council to address anti-social behaviour in Market Street.
“More clearly needs to be done to tackle these issues head-on. I will contact Harlow Council on Monday to discuss what additional measures can be put in place to deal with anti-social behaviour in Old Harlow”.
tony edwards
2018-11-25 11:34:56
In the wake of Central Government funding cuts, since 2010 Essex Police have had to endure a reduction of over 700 officers. Could it be that now there are simply not enough Harlow based police officers to ensure adequate and effective policing in the town? This is a matter that will be discussed at Harlow Council Scrutiny Committee and of course the Council will do all it can to work with Essex Police. But the responsibility for Policing matters rests primarily with Essex Police and then ultimately with the Government to ensure there is an adequate level of funding.
MickyB77
2018-11-26 06:59:29
As usual, "it's all the fault of the Tories". Drunken adults outside a pub in the early hours, fighting. Booze in brain out eh ? What about blaming licensing hours ?
MarketStResident
2018-11-26 10:41:30
Am fed up with this attitude of passing the buck. As a resident who has been in touch with cllrs, the council, the police, our concerns are mainly ignored or fobbed off. We have had residential meetings, we have had one meeting with Cllrs Joel Charles, Sue Livings and Mike Garnett back in Aug and they went quiet immediately and didn't call another meeting that they PROMISED. They let residents down. We get told by the council that it's down to residents to ask for a review. However, residents are too scared to because we have to give our names and addresses to the pubs. We get told by the council that they have no money to come down and witness the stupidity of 3 pubs on a regular basis and they think the area is ok (without witnessing it themselves, of course they think it's ok). The council have recently refused to install CCTV when it was suggested to them by the police which is a shocking decision and again, lets down residents. The council tell us none of the pubs are responsible for the actions of the people once they've left the premises, but that's not true because there is an 'cumulative Impact of a Concentration of Licenses premises'. The council have the power of EMRO (early morning Alcohol restriction order), but to start that they need evidence, evidence they can't be bothered to gather. I guess it's ok to give pubs late licenses and let them behave like nightclubs, but it's not ok to send their staff out at 1.00-2.30am to witness the sheer stupidity of late licenses in a residential area. We get told by the council there lack of funding to help tackle problems. Same for the police. However, neither authority makes use of the 'Late Night Levy' which can recuperate the costs from the pubs. The council don't even make the pubs stick to the terms of their license for goodness sake. The Marquis still has glass outside, still keeps doors open past 8pm and still doesn't have a noise limiter. The council are aware of this and yet do use their powers to insist on it. At the end of the day, the pubs, the council and the police have a responsibility to residents. We have so many fights, shouting, late loud music, car engines running, urination against our homes and in the street, litter, broken glass, damaged property, drunk and drug drivers, drug dealing and taking and this all goes on until 2-3am because nobody clears the people off home. Residents are supposed to be protected against this 'prevention of public nuisance' and yet the responsible authorities do nothing, despite having the powers to do something. It's a disgrace.
MarketStResident
2018-11-26 11:25:50
I also want to add that it is amusing the photo above shows a car parked on the pavement. We have parking restrictions here but are not enforced by North Essex Parking Partnership. The reason why? They will not come down without a police escort because of abuse by patrons of the pub. They will not put their staff in harms way. That, in a nutshell, sums up life on Market Street.
Fed Up Resident
2018-11-27 00:22:27
I couldn't agree more with the previous 2 comments, for Tony Edwards to use this event and residents' misery as a cheap opportunity to 'points score' over the Tories is crass and, quite frankly, pathetic. It wasn't a constructive post and is the kind of buck-passing response we have come to expect from the council whenever the subject of antisocial behaviour in Old Harlow is broached. The provision of CCTV is wholly a council issue yet we have been refused this - I wonder how much time and resource CCTV would save were it to be introduced? The licensing of the pubs is also a Council issue, and they have means at their disposal to reduce their negative effect on the community but have resolutely failed to mention these in any correspondence. I would also like to ask Mr Charles what he has achieved in his 'several months of working with Essex Police' because my only observation is that the situation has worsened considerably since he and the other Councillors held a meeting with the residents on the 14th August, promising a follow up meeting a month later, for which we are still waiting, and with zero communication since. Call me cynical but I find this sudden 'call to arms' since the mass brawl somewhat galling since the residents have been complaining about this for years. It's almost as if those with the power to change things are now realising it's only a matter of time before somebody is killed in Old Harlow and their inaction will render them complicit.
tony edwards
2018-11-27 16:07:49
Fed Up and MarketSt residents - Your points are very well made and I apologise if I offended you with my comment with regard to the reduction in Policing numbers. Whilst I was attempting to put policing in Harlow a wider context I appreciate that my comment as such did not help you with the situation you are facing. I understand that Council staff and the Police will be meeting this week to look at what further can be done.
MarketStResident
2018-11-28 22:46:09
Thankyou Tony Edwards.
Fed Up Resident
2018-11-30 12:08:54
Tony Edwards - thank you for the apology. Unfortunately I'm still awaiting a response from Joel Charles to my comments. Still, who needs dialogue and communication with the residents when your primary concern is career progression in Ipswich?
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