Councillors working to resolve youth violence

South London has been plagued with youth violence and anti-social behaviour in recent times. The reasons for this are many and not simple to solve. Cllr William Houngbo is the Opposition Spokesperson for Community Safety and has taken a special interest in helping to address these issues in our ward and in our community. He has proactively taken steps, alongside the other agencies in Southwark, to start turning the situation around so we can all start to feel safer and worry less when our teenagers are out and about.

Your Southwark Liberal Democrat councillors meet regularly with local resident delegates and the Met Police’s team assigned to our ward to be briefed by the police and relay your concerns In addition, Cllr William Houngbo has worked with the police team, council wardens and the Southwark Anti-Social Behaviour Unit (SASBU) to address crime and ASB in ward hot-spots. This has been done through facilitating co-operation between agencies such as youth services organisations Active Communities Network and the Salmon Youth Centre. A result of these efforts includes a sporting event held in August 2018 where participants from rival gangs were brought together.

Cllr Houngbo said:

“Youth crime is a stain on our community that is affecting the lives of many young people and their families. I have a family of my own and like any parent, fear for their safety on the street, especially at night. And yet young people should be able to enjoy their youth. As a community we must come together to take a multi-faceted approach to turning this situation around and as a ward councillor for London Bridge and West Bermondsey I am more than ready to be part of the solution, as are my ward colleagues.”