Crime Summit plans to secure our safety
by Hammersmith and Fulham Press Office
10/03/2008
Summit hailed an enormous success
Residents had their say on crime in the borough at the second ever Hammersmith & Fulham Crime Summit.
The council, Police and partner organisations now have a massive list of actions to tackle crimes from drug dealing and residential burglary to anti-social behaviour in town centres and fly tipping.
Hundreds of residents got a chance to air their views on crime and anti-social behaviour at a packed town hall meeting last Saturday 8 March.
More than 300 residents heard keynote speeches from Cllr Greg Smith, Cabinet Member for Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour, and Police Borough Commander, Chief Superintendent Ali Dizaei before having their say. Residents tackled officials in ward based workshops.
Local resident, Brian Richardson, 56, from Eynham Road, said, "The ward based workshops gave people a great opportunity to raise issues and get their points out."
Council and Police offices are now working hard to collate the hundreds of comments from the ward based workshops into a comprehensive list of actions for urgent attention.
The Crime Summit brought together the Police, politicians, the Fire Brigade and all the council services involved in cracking down on crime in H&F.
Cllr Greg Smith, Hammersmith & Fulham Cabinet Member for Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour, said, "Once again the Crime Summit has provided a perfect arena for residents to come forward with their concerns or specific problems about crime and anti-social behaviour. We had every conceivable service who could offer a solution to residents’ concerns in one room."
"Cracking down on crime and anti-social behaviour remains one of the top priorities for this council and we now have another massive list of issues and concerns, reported directly by residents, to go away and action."
Police Borough Commander, Chief Superintendent Ali Dizaei, made a powerful speech praising the hard work of his officers, residents, the council and voluntary groups in tackling crime locally. He said, "Across Hammersmith & Fulham, in the reporting year to date, there have been 2,000 fewer crimes this year than last year. While recorded crime across London is down by about 6 per cent, here in Hammersmith & Fulham, crime is down by over 15 per cent."
Meanwhile residents debated the success of the £4 million 24/7 beat policing pilots in Fulham Broadway and Shepherds Bush Green.
Councillor Smith continues, "More Bobbies in Fulham Broadway and Shepherds Bush Green are resulting in more arrests and less crime, with no evidence of any displacement to neighbouring wards. We have seen some staggering results, for example, in Shepherds Bush, robbery is down by a colossal 46 per cent and in Fulham Broadway, total crime is down by 10 per cent, with burglary down 27 per cent and theft down 22 per cent."
As residents broke into their 16 ward based workshops to discuss solutions to local crime on a street-by-street basis a new group made up of children only discussed youth crime and more particularly, youth on youth crime.
Nicola Lewis, 14, said, "I was in the youth crime committee today and it was very helpful. I have not experienced antisocial or violent behaviour myself, but it is not good. But I think it is very difficult to do anything about it."
Cllr Smith added, "Deaths by fists, knives and guns are becoming too regular a feature in newspapers across Britain, not least because of the high number involving children. At least eighteen children and young people have been murdered in London alone this year, one of which, 16 year old Kodjo Yenga, was in our own borough, just under one year ago.
"A great deal has been written and said about the root causes of youth crime. Of all the theories the most compelling in my mind is the breakdown of society. These challenges, along with other more practical steps, will be looked at by the Hammersmith & Fulham Youth Commission which will formally start its work in the coming months building on the work of the Youth Task Force."
The Summit heard how the Youth Commission has a blank sheet of paper and a licence to be bold. Their only restriction is that they must look to the long term and not seek short term quick fixes or ‘sticking plaster’ solutions.
Cllr Smith concluded, "The Crime Summit proved that there is still an enormous way to go to make this borough truly safe. But the direction of travel is very strong. Crime is down and our 24/7 pilots are proving a better way of policing the streets. But crime is still too high and we must drive it down yet further."
