Kenton Labour Councillor Stephen Lambert this week unveiled Kenton’s Charter on Crime this week after an unprovoked assault on his physical well being last Thursday.
The Charter, ‘’Safe Neighbourhoods: A Safer Kenton’, outlines Kenton Labour’s localised approach to tackling crime and strengthening community policing in all neighbourhoods across Kenton including Kenton Bar, Montagu, Moor Lane, West Montagu, The Gardens, North Kenton and Cowgate:
Support Labour’ national manifesto pledge to strengthen local Neighbourhood Police Teams using money from the abolition of Police and Crime Commissioners;
Ensuring that Kenton’s six CCTV cameras are fit for purpose;
Tackling violence against woman and young girls;
Working to stamp out school and workplace bullying;
Call on the Police to increased foot-patrols and cops on bikes;
Strict enforcement of ‘’Dispersal Orders’’ to break up gangs of anti-social youths which have plagued estates like Kenton Bar shops;
Work to re-establishing Community Watch Schemes in every neighbourhood in Kenton involving local residents’ associations such as Kenton Bar TARA and North Kenton TARA;
Work with SNAPS groups in Cowgate and North Kenton;
Work with Kenton’s two Neighbourhood Street Wardens;
Work with local schools such as Kenton School, Kenton Bar, Wyndam, St Cuthbert’s, to emphasise the importance of community safety;
Crack down on those that drop litter and fly-tippers with heavy fines.
Councillor Lambert, Chairman of the Kenton Ward Committee, said ‘’Community Safety remains out top priority after consultation with local residents and voluntary groups. Community Safety is everyone’s business. Together as a community we can beat crime and bring criminals to justice.’’
Although crime has fallen across Kenton, the Ward Chairman stressed that there were still anti-social behaviour ‘’hot-spots’’ in some patches of Kenton’’ and that these were being dealt with swiftly by Kenton’s Neighbourhood Police Team in conjunction with Safe Newcastle, the Council’s statutory partnership, alongside local community groups and Kenton’s Ward councillors.
‘’Frontline neighbourhood Policing has been cut by 20% under the Coalition. We can’t afford to play ‘Russian Roulette’ when it comes to the bobby on the beat,’’ Councillor Lambert added.