Lib Dems raise Crime-Fighting plans with Borough Commander

Southwark Liberal Democrat councillors met with the Borough Commander to raise concerns of residents, to get a better understanding of the levels and forms of crimes that blight Southwark, and to highlight their proposals to reduce offenses in the borough.

Southwark has lost a police officer a week over the last few years. In response, at last year’s local elections Southwark Liberal Democrats proposed fully-costed plans to directly fund a dedicated knife-crime unit as well as doubling funding for youth services, after Labour had cut it in half. At the Council’s Annual budget, the Liberal Democrats also proposed an amendment to establish a dedicated knife-crime unit, funded in part by reducing the number of press officers to pay for more police officers. The unit wasn’t created as the ruling Labour party opposed the plans.

As well as supporting plans for more police officers and greater support for youth services, the Borough Commander highlighted that there could be better co-ordination between youth and community groups, arguing that an audit of all the organisations working in the borough would be helpful, especially those that have a particular focus and trust among specific communities.

Cllr William Houngbo, Southwark Liberal Democrats spokesperson on Crime and Community Safety said:

‘It was a very productive meeting with the Borough Commander, and it was really useful to hear his views of how things are on the front-line. It’s clear to us that Southwark Labour’s policy of cutting Youth Services in half should never have been implemented and there certainly is scope for the Council to make a real difference by fully funding a knife-crime unit. We’ll keep making the case for the benefits of such a unit and hope that Labour will put party politics to one side and deliver it.’