Listening to Henley Residents about Antisocial Behaviour

CoventryHenleyPolicingAntisocial BehaviourMoat House

29 Jul

*Mary Creagh MP with West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster, and Chief Superintendent Paul Joyce from West Midlands Police.*

On Tuesday, Mary Creagh MP hosted a coffee morning at Moat House Community Centre with more than thirty Henley residents. They had the opportunity to raise concerns directly with the Labour Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands, Simon Foster, and Chief Superintendent Paul Joyce from West Midlands Police.

One of the main issues discussed was fires being lit in Moat House Park - particularly worrying after the arson at Henley College. There were also concerns about anti-social behaviour around Wood End and Bell Green shops, noisy bikes and scooters late at night, and suspected criminal activity in certain areas. Broader concerns were also raised about the state of the high streets and lack of opportunities for younger and older people in the community.

Mary, Simon and the police officer agreed to look into these specific issues and thanked those who attended for taking their time to improve their local community.

Labour’s Plan for Change will deliver 13,000 more police in neighbourhood roles over the course of this Parliament, which was kickstarted by £200 million in its first year in government. The new Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will ensure that every area has a named, contactable neighbourhood policing team and guaranteed police patrols in high streets and town centres.

And Labour are giving police new powers so they can better tackle crimes that matter most to communities. This includes the ability to seize off-road bikes and other vehicles involved in antisocial behaviour, with officers no longer required to issue a warnings.

In 2023/24, the Police and Crime Commissioner funded 75 community safety and victim intervention projects in Coventry, at a cost of £2.4 million. This includes funding allocated through our Violence Reduction Partnership.

Last year, in Coventry there was an 8.78% fall in recorded crime compared to 2023, with robberies down 20%, vehicle crime down by 15% and burglaries down by 10%.