Have your say on crime
Wednesday February 3, 2010
Residents who would like to thrash out local crime problems on a street by street basis are invited to the council’s fourth annual Crime Summit.
The Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) Crime Summit 2010 is your chance to shape the crime-fighting priorities of the local Police and council for the coming 12 months.
Hundreds of people flocked to Hammersmith Town Hall for last year’s event and this year’s summit is another golden opportunity to talk to the authorities, face-to-face, about your crime fighting priorities, according to the organisers.
Cllr Greg Smith is the council’s Cabinet Member for Crime and Street Scene and architect of the Crime Summit. He says: “During the workshops residents can air their views with the people who tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in your neighbourhood.
“We pioneered this consultative approach in H&F and the summit has become invaluable for officers – who patrol the streets day in, day out – to hear what problems residents want prioritised. Our officers will be in full listening mode again and I want residents to keep coming forward and tell us their concerns.”
In addition to ward based workshops, there will be short presentations from senior police officers and councillors, including the Borough Commander – Detective Chief Superintendent Kevin Hurley. Council estate wardens, street scene and street cleansing officers, and members of the parks constabulary will also be on hand to hear residents’ views on anti-social behaviour.
H&F Council was the first local authority in Britain to extend the hours of some Police Safer Neighbourhood teams to 24 hours-a-day, 7-day-a-week in April 2007. Fulham Broadway and Shepherds Bush Green were the first two trial schemes. In April 2009 the Fulham scheme was refined to enable a sharper focus on peak times while a third new squad was sent into Hammersmith Broadway.
The council is spending more than £1.8 million per year to pay for the three enhanced town centre squads which means the borough has sixty more Police officers than it would without the funding.
Cllr Smith concluded: “While it is true that we have seen year-on-year falls in crime locally there is no room for complacency. We are continuing to work hard with the Police and have taken the rare step of providing them with 60 extra officers to up the ante on the criminal minority. But we cannot fight crime alone. Continued input from residents is vital. Our aim is clear. This is your neighbourhood, this is your say and it is our priority.”
The Crime Summit 2010 will held in Hammersmith Town hall, between 9am-2.30pm, on Saturday 6 March. Lunch will be provided. If you would like to book a place or want more information please email crime.summit@lbhf.gov.uk and provide your name and contact details. Alternatively, call 020 8753 2816.
