As was highlighted in the local papers last week, the issue
of anti-social behaviour in St Austell town centre is a growing problem in the
town. My office is based on Fore Street and so both myself and my team
regularly see examples of anti-social behaviour.
I am pleased that following my phone call to the local
Police Superintendent last week there was a swift response to the current
issues with a number of arrests the next day. However, this needs to be
maintained and I will continue to work with the Police and local council to
ensure we continue to address the concerns of local residents and businesses.
We do need to also consider some of the wider and underlying
causes of these issues. It is quite clear to many local people that the cause
of much of the antisocial behaviour and low level crime in the town is a direct
result of the number of ‘halfway houses’ that are located in very close
proximity to the town centre. I believe the time has come to have a serious
conversation about the placement of these facilities, not only for their
current service users, but also for those who subsequently leave, for whatever
reason and remain in the community.
Simply put, I think these residences are too close to the
town centre. I have in the past objected to the placement of these facilities
in their current locations and certainly think that a change in their way of
operating now would do a lot to remove the cause of the anti-social behaviour
we see.
Some people have laid the blame for these issues at the feet
of the government, citing the cuts to Police funding. It is true that tough
decisions have had to be made to ensure that we as a country live within our
means and do not continue to rack up uncontrolled debt for future generations.
It is also worth noting that, along with other MPs, I fought to ensure that the
Police budget was not cut in last year’s spending round and I will continue to
do all I can to ensure our local Police Force gets its fair share of funding.
Having said that it is clear that our Police face a number
of challenges. The nature of crime in changing with more being committed
online. All of us are far more likely to now be a victim of crime through the
internet than we are in our homes or on the streets. As a result it is right
that our Police adapt in order to face the challenges of modern Britain.
Locally we also face the impact of the thousands of tourists
who come and spend their holiday here. Of course they are essential to our
local economy but as we are all aware it also places greater demands on our
local services including Policing. In my view it is wrong that the funding for
our local Police does not reflect this increase in demand and this is something
I am continuing to challenge the government on.
As always, my team and I are here to serve the whole
constituency and work hard to make a real difference to the lives of everyone
needing support. If there is an issue you would like my assistance on then
please contact me on either 01726 829379 or office@stevedouble.org.uk.
Additionally, I hold regular, appointment only, advice surgeries across the
constituency. Dates of these can be found at: www.stevedouble.org.uk/events
