By Paul Carnell
Only a couple of weeks ago the Labour Leader, Sir Keir Starmer, visited Reading, painted a bleak picture, blamed the Conservative government and left.
That blame is misplaced.
The Conservative government has acted and continues to act to address causes of anti-social behaviour. Some recent acts include the outlawing of possession of Nitrous Oxide, increased funding for community payback schemes and substantially increased funding to disrupt the supply of drugs and the sale of the drugs openly on the streets.
But is his picture of Reading really accurate? Personally, I think Reading is a great place to live.
You can feel a sense of community often absent in a town of this size.
Reading could be better and there are areas troubled by anti-social behaviour, but it’s hardly the town overrun by yobs that Sir Keir tells us it is. He tells us that a Labour Government will give local authorities tough new powers, but doesn’t actually say what these tough new powers will be.
I wonder if the Labour administration of Reading’s borough council agree with the Labour Party Leader’s view of Reading? And if they agree why haven’t they already acted?
Tackling anti-social behaviour falls within the council’s responsibilities.
On the council’s own website they say they want to support residents who are suffering from anti-social behaviour and will make every effort to sort the problem.
Furthermore they pledge that if after four weeks the problem isn’t resolved they will establish an action plan to successfully resolve the problem.
Some of the problems may require a multi-agency approach, involving the police or fire service.
Over the past three years the Conservative Government has increased the numbers of police officers by 17,000, including an extra 500 in the Thames Valley for Thames Valley Police alone.
It takes time to fully train a police officer, but the impact of these increased police numbers is being felt now.
Modern day policing is very different from the policing I remember growing up. While community policing, the bobby on the beat, remains important, policing is now also intelligence led. This allows the police to deploy resources where they are needed, a more dynamic approach. We all have a part to play in this process.
We should report crime when we are aware of it, and not just assume the police will find out.
And if you don’t see a police officer it doesn’t mean they have just ignored your report or nothing is going to be done.
Your information could be an important part of an ongoing investigation which a uniformed presence could jeopardize. For many of the residents of Reading the Safer Neighbourhood Forums are a good way for residents to meet with the police, report ongoing issues and receive feedback. But sadly for the people of South Reading, including Whitley, which is an anti-social behaviour hotspot, the council has failed to establish a Forum.
The Fire Service also plays its part by regularly giving talks on the dangers of fire starting, particularly in areas where this is a problem. In the not-so-distant past, when I was a Caversham Heights councillor there was a problem with fires being started in the woodland in Bugs Bottom. The Fire Service were out highlighting the dangers, but the real problem was that when the council worked in the woodland, they then allowed the fallen branches to stay where they lay.
This gave an easily accessible source of fuel.
Alongside the Fire Service I asked for a more suitable alternative to be sought. The Labour lead on community safety was reluctant to act citing concerns over biodiversity. A wildfire would have had a far wider impact including on biodiversity.
Whilst Sir Keir pontificates, local Conservatives, councillors and other supporters are out working to improve their communities where the Labour council has failed them; a Conservative councillor lobbying the council over fly-tipping because the council failed to act, another resident organising litter-picks because the council failed to act and yet another working with local residents to seek a lasting solution to anti-social behaviour in their neighbourhood because, again, the council failed to act. Whilst Labour complain Conservatives act.
Paul Carnell, Former Conservative Councillor for Caversham Heights ward, Reading Borough Council
