CRIME

Crime in our community

We are lucky that we live in an area of relatively low-crime compared to the national average. But levels of crime here in Elmbridge are rising at the same rate as elsewhere in the country (20% between 2016/7 and 2018/19; source) at a time when our police force is struggling to meet demands after a decade of devastating cuts: since 2010/11, the Conservative government has reduced the funding it directly gives to our force by 29% (Source: NAO). It’s no surprise that average police response times have dropped by 8% and response to the biggest emergencies by 9% (Source) The Conservatives claim they are recruiting an extra 20,000 police officers nationally - a claim repeated by Dominic Raab in his election campaign literature. They are not: they are only replacing those they’ve axed since 2010. (Full Fact)

We have to give the police the resources they need, but more importantly we have to ensure that we are supporting the communities at risk of being left behind within our constituency (Indices of Multiple Deprivation) and preventing young people slipping into crime. Youth services have been decimated. Under the Conservatives, council spending on youth services has been cut by 40% since 2015.

So the Lib Dems will invest £1 billion nationally to restore community policing, enough for two new police officers for every ward. We will restore youth services, investing £500 million, and bring police, teachers, health professionals, youth workers and social services together to prevent young people falling prey to gangs and violence. Instead of wasting money locking people up on short sentences that don’t work, we will spend it on the things that actually prevent crime. High-quality youth work has been proven time and time again to help vulnerable young people escape the clutches of gangs.

This matters to me, and I know from talking to young people in the area it matters to them too. Support me and let’s build a Brighter Future for everyone in our wonderful constituency.