John Penrose
Campaigns - Drugs and Crime
Weston has a serious drugs problem. The police say it is linked to 93 per cent of local crime. Weston needs a clean image to attract visitors, families and jobs. We musn't let drugs and crime put it at risk.
In 2004, John launched the Cleaner Weston campaign to tighten up the rules on drug treatment centres and so-called 'dry houses'. Weston has around 10 per cent of the country's registered rehabilitation centres, plus a potentially huge number of unlicensed hostels. The Cleaner Weston campaign aims to crack down on the unlicensed hostels, leaving the town with fewer, better rehabs.
John explained: "I'm very concerned about the number of addicts from all over the country who are being referred for treatment in Weston. Too many relapse and stay in the town, fuelling the town's crime figures."
Conservative plans would add a third more policemen for Weston and the villages, and we're campaigning for stronger regulation of rehabilitation centres in Weston too. Equally importantly, the country needs more rehabs elsewhere, in cities like Bristol or Birmingham, so that addicts have a better chance of being cured with support from their families and friends, rather than simply being dumped on their own in Weston because there's no way of treating them at home.
Updates
MP: Action call over youth crime
Cash spent on drug addicts under review
Send treated drug addicts home - MP
Imported junkies are getting our cash
Revamped centre helps addicts look to future
Weston rehab centre reopens
Stop dumping addicts in Weston, says MP
Bobbies on patrol in Parliament
PCSOs
Town cash being spent on others, claims MP
Residents Lose Out to Addicts
Cash for needy is going to addicts
Police chief warns of staffing shortages
Police cuts will hit fight against crime
Addicts blamed for burglary spree
P's bid to beat arson threat
inister tackled on crimewave in resort
Police support chopped by half
Wish they weren't here?
Dumping ground for the junkies
2,000 addicts a year hit Weston
Drug addict numbers falling
MP calling for DNA review
MP worried at child DNA records kept by the police
Innocent Children's DNA Stored
Praise Heaped On Campaign To Stamp Out Hate Crime Against Young People
Call To Change Law Over Drug Centres
MP's dismay as addicts vanish after rehab treatment in town
MP voices concerns over 'Lost' addicts
'Vanishing' Junkies Worries
Police Team Up To Give Top Service
'Critics Have Not Visited Us'
'Death Sentence' Fear For Rehabs
Minister Condemns Rehabs As Ineffective
MP Wins Drug Action Pledge
Success In Drug Debate
MP To Call For Action On Addicts In Weston
MP's Drug Hit List Reveals ‘Bad Practice' Offenders
Drugbusters Out In Town
Don't Dump Your Drug Addicts Here
Thanks For Dumping All Your Addicts On Us
Drug Addicts 'Not Known' When They Arrive In Town
Drugs shock
Merger Of Police Into ‘Superforce' Rejected
New drug addict numbers worry
Three Homes In Multiple Occupation Closed Down
Clampdown on Rehab Centres
We need a 24-hour café culture
Tenants' safety plan is a success
MP to get tough on councils sending addicts to Weston
We Don't Want Your Addicts
We Can't Save All Addicts
Drugs Blitz Stops Street Theft
MP: Action call over youth crime
5 July 2007 Weston and Worle News
There is a 'ticking crimebomb' involving young people in Weston that urgently needs to be addressed, according to the town's MP, John Penrose.
He has obtained figures under the Freedom of Information Act revealing that a third of all muggings in the past year targeted 11-16 year olds, with the same age group responsible for 40 per cent of all robberies.
In the Avon and Somerset police area, the same age group were victims in 437 of the 1,902 reported robberies in 2005-06.
Mr Penrose says that since the British Crime Survey estimates only 21 per cent of robberies are reported, the totals could be as high as 9,057 personal robberies and 2,081 on 11-16 year olds.
He is calling for a change in the way figures are collected as a 'first step in addressing a ticking crimebomb'.
"These new statistics reveal a worrying area of crime that has gone unrecognised. This is a ticking crimebomb, the tip of the iceberg given how few crimes are actually reported," he said.
"The Government does not properly monitor the level of youth muggings. I am working to get the Home Office to introduce more effective monitoring of the problem. Once we know the real extent of the problem, we can introduce better ways of fighting the problem. At the moment, we are virtually in the dark.
"Youth-on-youth crime could be a serious long-term problem, and the Government are not properly monitoring it."
A Home Office spokesman said: "The Government takes the issue of street robbery extremely seriously. As a result of concerted action by the police and across Government, there were 21,000 fewer robberies last year than five years ago.
"The Home Office has put in place its Robbery Action Plan, working closely with the areas which account for 47 per cent of all robbery to help them quickly get to grips with the problem.
"Every area has access to expert advice and intelligence from the National Mobile Phone Crime Unit, problem-solving experts, consultants and specialist police unit.
"In addition, a SAFE week will be run later this month jointly with Crimestoppers, designed to prevent young people becoming victims of robbery, and deter potential offenders.
"The proportion of young people committing an offence remains stable, and we have invested significant funds in preventing young people getting involved in crime and anti-social behaviour, including programmes for 13-16-year-olds identified as being at risk of offending, and prevention activities in schools."
Cash spent on drug addicts under review
5 July 2007 Weston & Worle News
The financial help given to drug addicts who are sent to Weston for rehabilitation is to be reviewed by North Somerset Council.
The council will work alongside Weston MP John Penrose to make sure more money is spent on addicts from the area, instead of those who are sent to the town by other local authorities across the country.
Mr Penrose said: "I am concerned money meant for local residents is being spent on imported drug addicts.
"Under the previous administration, the council used some of its Supporting People Grant to house and support imported addicts who should be funded by the agencies who sent them.
"I am delighted the new administration is changing the focus as local people were losing out.
"The SPG money should go to support local people in the most desperate need, instead of supporting other areas' addicts.
"This was pushing up crime and dragging Weston down and it's important that local people come first."
A report in November revealed Weston was the UK's dumping ground for criminals and junkies.
The report by North Somerset multi-agency Responsible Authorities Group said local services could not cope with the thousands of drug addicts sent to Weston for rehabilitation each year.
It said local doctors, hospitals, voluntary homeless services and police were all creaking under the added pressure of thousands of drug addicts from outside the area coming to the town.
It also revealed Weston-based charity Addiction Recovery Agency was struggling to provide its service to local residents, as 28 per cent of people using the service were from outside the area.
Send treated drug addicts home - MP
4 July 2007 Bristol Evening Post
Drug addicts treated in Weston-super-Mare should be "sent back home" once their rehabilitation is completed under a major overhaul of the system, claims the town's MP.
He said local councils across the country should also be billed for the first time for sending users to the resort for treatment.
Tory John Penrose is working with North Somerset Council on a review of procedures after raising concerns over how funding to treat addicts was being spent.
He claims cash from the Supporting People Grant (SPG) has been used to house addicts from outside the area who should be funded by the agencies who sent them.
The SPG money comes from the council to support residential, rehabilitation and supported hostels for people with drug and alcohol dependence. But it has been revealed in a council report that just seven per cent of those receiving help from the grant were local.
Mr Penrose said: "The SPG money should go to support local people in the most desperate need, instead of supporting other areas' addicts.
"Local people must come first. The Government admits that there are currently no cross-authority funding arrangements in place for the use of SPG funding by administering authorities."
Of the 68 addicts being treated under the programme at the time of the report, 80 per cent were from outside North Somerset and had a history of offending in their home town.
Ian Peddlesden, executive council member for community safety, said "recovered" addicts should return to their home towns to be supported by agencies there.
He added: "A review is taking place. It is to make sure that whoever sends the addicts pays for them and they have the further responsibility of supporting them afterwards so North Somerset doesn't pick up the tab for people from outside of the area.
"I have sympathy for people that are addicts. I want them to be able to get back into the community to do something useful."
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Imported junkies are getting our cash
3 July 2007 Western Daily Press
Mp John Penrose is concerned money meant for people in Weston-super- Mare is being spent on drug addicts sent to the area.
The Tory MP is working with North Somerset District Council to review the grants being spent on imported addicts in Weston.
The council had used some of its Supporting People Grant (SPG) to house and support imported addicts who should be funded by the agencies who sent them, according to the MP.
Mr Penrose is working with the council to develop a more localised approach.
He said: "I am delighted that the new administration is changing the focus. Local people were losing out.
"The SPG money should go to support local people in the most desperate need, instead of supporting other areas' addicts This was pushing up crime and dragging Weston down. Local people must come first."
SPG is provided by the council for housing-related support in a number of residential, rehabilitation and supported hostels and homes.
A recent Responsible Authorities Group report showed that just seven per cent of people receiving SPG housing related support in Weston's unregistered rehabs were local.
Mr Penrose added: "The Government admits that there are currently no cross- authority funding arrangements in place for the use of SPG funding by administering authorities."
21 June 2007 Weston & Worle News
Drug addicts will have an improved chance of kicking the habit thanks to a new and improved recovery centre.
Weston MP John Penrose opened the doors to the refurbished Addiction Recovery Agency centre (ARA), in Alexandra Parade, last Friday.
The centre's aim is to provide a better environment to help people break their addictions.
Mr Penrose said: "High-quality treatment and rehab support is a vital part of helping addicts in Weston break free from drugs.
"We need to close down poor- quality rehabs and make sure the rest are top-notch services like ARA.
One client, who has used the service but did not want to be named, said: "When I came to ARA I thought my life was over - it had become a life of no fun.
"ARA's day-care treatment made me realise my life has just begun."
ARA chief executive Peter Walker said: "There is little doubt about the success of this service.
"With these improved facilities we will be able to offer more people the opportunity to lead lives free from dependence on drugs and alcohol."
Weston rehab centre reopens
19 June 2007 Bristol Evening Post
Improved drug treatment facilities have been officially opened in Weston-super-Mare.
Weston MP John Penrose opened the town centre facilities, run by the Addiction Recovery Agency (ARA).
The refurbishment was carried out to provide a better environment to help people break their addiction to drugs or alcohol.
Mr Penrose said: "High quality treatment and rehab support is a vital part of helping addicts in Weston break free from drugs.
"We need to close down poor-quality rehabs and make sure that the rest are top notch services like ARA.
"Dodgy rehabs are bad for addicts and for the rest of Weston's local residents too."
ARA provides a range of drug and alcohol services in partnership with the North Somerset Community Safety and Drug Action Team (CSDAT)
Gina Dormer, CSDAT coordinator said: "The North Somerset Crime and Drugs Partnership was pleased to be able to contribute to ARA's re-furbished premises.
"This additional space has provided a much needed increase in capacity to support our substance misuse prevention and crime reduction efforts."
The premises will provide structured support for people who want to become abstinent from drugs and alcohol.
To date more than 65 people have completed the new structured day programme with an attendance rate of almost 90 per cent.
One client who had used the service said: "When I came to ARA I thought my life was over, it had become a life of no fun.
"ARA's day care treatment made me realise my life has just begun."
ARA chief executive Peter Walker said: "There is little doubt about the success of this service and with these improved facilities we will be able to offer more people the opportunity to lead lives free from dependence on drugs and alcohol."
For further information about the drug and alcohol services offered by ARA call 01934 415376 or visit http://www.addictionrecovery.org.uk/ .
Stop dumping addicts in Weston, says MP
19 April 2007 Weston & Worle News
Progress is slowly being made to free Weston of drugs, according to Weston MP John Penrose , pictured right.
Mr Penrose, pictured right, met Home Office Minister Gerry Sutcliffe to discuss the implications of a report which stated that up to 2,000 people from outside the area had been dumped in Weston for drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
The Responsible Authorities Group report, published in November, revealed that 57 per cent of burglaries committed in Weston between January 2004 and December 2005 were by people sent to the town for treatment.
It also raised concerns that local doctors, hospitals, voluntary homeless services and police were all creaking under the added pressure of thousands of drug addicts from outside the area coming to Weston.
Mr Penrose said: "The minister and I discussed how the problems might be addressed.
"I outlined a number of the proposals from the Cleaner Weston Campaign. I hope to examine the issues further at our next meeting.
"I'm pleased to have been asked to advise and comment on the new guidelines too.
"It gives me a chance to make sure Weston's voice is heard in framing the national approach.
"The problems exposed are just frightening.
"It is clear many referring agencies are simply dumping addicts in Weston and then walking away.
"There are frequent examples of agencies taking little or no responsibility for ensuring that their addicts complete their treatment programme and too many agencies seem unprepared or unwilling to take any action if the addict relapses or varies the treatment programme while they are in Weston.
"The minister was open-minded and receptive to my arguments.
"He accepted the principle that the referring agency shouldn't simply drop addicts partway through their care.
"He also agreed to look into how this principle could be improved across all agencies, not just in offender management."
Bobbies on patrol in Parliament
15 February 2007 Weston & Worle News
Bobbies from Weston were pounding a different beat when they visited Westminster and the Houses of Parliament.
Weston MP John Penrose invited local police community support officers to London to take part in a road safety seminar and to have a whirlwind tour of the country's most famous buildings.
Mr Penrose said: "It was great to sit down with the local team and discuss the challenges and satisfactions of serving the community.
"They play a crucial part in neighbourhood policing, building links with our local communities to fight crime and reduce anti-social behaviour."
PCSOs
9th February 2007 Weston Mercury
North Somerset bobbies have been on the beat in Westminster.
Weston MP John Penrose invited the local Police Community Support Officers (PCSO) to London to discuss local and national community policing issues. They were then taken on a tour around the Houses of Parliament before attending a road safety seminar.
Mr Penrose said: "It was great to sit down with the local PCSO team and discuss the challenges and satisfactions of serving the local community. They play a crucial part in neighbourhood policing, building crucial links with our local communities to fight crime and reduce anti-social behaviour. I found them really enthusiastic and committed to their work.
Mr Penrose went on to voice his concerns over the number of PCSOs promised by the Home office being reduced: There should be more PCSOs in our community, but as I learnt just last month, Avon and Somerset have been robbed of new funds to recruit them. The only people celebrating will be the criminals.
Town cash being spent on others, claims MP
8 February 2007 Weston & Worle News
Money that should be spent on Weston's residents is being used to treat drug addicts sent to the town from across the country, says Weston MP John Penrose.
North Somerset Council is using its Supporting People Grant to house and support 'imported addicts' who should be funded by the agencies that sent them, according to the Conservative MP.
Mr Penrose has written to North Somerset Council, urging it to change its approach.
He has also contacted government minister Phil Woolas to detail his concerns.
He said: "Local people are losing out. The SPG money should go to support local people in the most desperate need, instead of supporting other areas' addicts.
"That sticks in my throat.
"It seems every other local authority is sending their addicts here and using our SPG money to fund their housing needs.
"Because there are no cross-authority funding arrangements in place, they can keep their own SPG money for use back home, and North Somerset is left to pick up the tab with costs and crime. Local people must come first."
Residents Lose Out to Addicts
3rd February 2007 Western Daily Press
Mp for Weston-super-Mare John Penrose has claimed money that should be spent on residents is being used to treat drug addicts from across the country.
North Somerset council is using its Supporting people Grant to house and support "imported addicts" who should be funded by the agencies that sent them, according to the Conservative MP.
Mr Penrose has written to North Somerset Council, urging them to change their approach.
He has also contacted government minister Phil Woolas to detail his concerns.
"Local people are losing out. The SPG money should go to support local people in the most desperate need, instead of supporting other areas' addicts
"That sticks in my throat. It seems every other local authority is sending their addicts here and using our SPG money to fund their housing needs. Because there are no cross authority funding arrangements in place, they can keep their own SPG money for use back home, and North Somerset is left to pick up the tab with costs and crime.Local people must come first."
Cash for needy is going to addicts
2nd February 2007 Weston Mercury
Money meant for vulnerable people in Weston is being spent on drug addicts from outside North Somerset, according to the town's MP.
John Penrose claims the North Somerset Council is using its Supporting People Grant (SPG) to house and support addicts, only seven per cent of whom are from the district.
He says the money is being used to help people in a number of residential and supported hostels which cater for drug and alcohol dependence.
Mr Penrose said "Local people are losing out. The SPG money should go to support local people in the most desperate need, instead of supporting other areas' addicts
"That sticks in my throat. It seems every other local authority is sending their addicts here and using our SPG money to fund their housing needs. Because there are no cross authority funding arrangements in place, they can keep their own SPG money for use back home, and North Somerset is left to pick up the tab with costs and crime."
"Far too much of our local allocation is being used to prop up addiction and treatment referrals from outside the area. This is pushing up crime and dragging Weston down. SPG should be used to support a range of services for our own residents."
The RAG report, The RAG report (A Re-evaluation of the Effects of Local Drug Rehabilitation services Upon Weston-super-Mare) published in November last year states that there are 12 unregistered facilities with 81 beds funded as supported housing under the SPG regime. There were 68 individuals known to be living in the properties, 80% of whom came from outside North Somerset and who had a history of offending in their home area.
Mr Penrose received confirmation from government ministers that SPGs are intended to help local people and has written to North Somerset Council to urge it to look at how the money is spent.
But the council denies the money is being spent on drug treatment.
A spokesman said: "SPG is Government funding for housing related support and cannot pay for drug treatment.
"In North Somerset, SPG funding is enabling over 2,000 people to remain independent. It covers a range of specific support needs, including people with learning disabilities and older people, and is a way of helping people to gain life skills and become positive contributors to society."
Police chief warns of staffing shortages
16 January 2007 Western Daily Press
One of the West's top police officers has warned there will soon be fewer bobbies on the beat because the Government is cutting back its funding.
Dr Tim Brain believes Britain's thin blue line will become even thinner as police forces struggle to balance the books.
The Gloucestershire chief constable said the latest three-year settlement would fail to keep pace with rising force costs.
Fears have been raised that rural areas will be hit hardest as chief constables concentrate their officers on towns and cities, thereby depriving villages of a police presence.
It follows news last month that the Home Office announced a scaling back of the Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) it wanted to recruit by 2008 from 24,000 to 16,000 nationwide.
The Association of Chief Police Officers' (Acpo) spokesman Dr Brain, said: "If you start pinching back on your income then you are going to have to cut back on your expenditure.
"Given the fact that we are a very people-intensive service, that inevitably means the people who deliver the job on the frontline. So, really, it's quite serious."
Between 2008 and 2010, police will get an annual rise in funding of 2.7 per cent. The Home Office says that, with efficiency savings, forces will be able to maintain a satisfactory service.
But Mr Brain, whose force will receive £56.5 million in funding for 2007-08, said the police had already delivered some of the best efficiency savings in the public sector and there was now fewer to be made.
"The scope for efficiencies in the future - it's not that there aren't any, but they're far more limited than they have been in the past," he said during a national radio interview.
"And they certainly won't cover the budget deficit that we are seeing beginning this year but also increasing over the next few years."
Following Dr Brain's comments, MPs from across the region called for the Government to provide more police funding.
"Dr Brain is absolutely right," said Somerton and Frome Lib Dem MP David Heath, a former chairman of Avon and Somerset local police authority.
"If we're going to see reductions in police force funding that can only lead to a reduction in the number of officers. This isn't what the public wants.
"In recent years we've seen increases in the number of officers so it would be a tragedy if this were reversed.
"Unfortunately it will be the rural areas that suffer as police chiefs will want to keep numbers up in the cities." Weston-super-Mare's Tory MP John Penrose said Avon and Somerset's police force was already struggling.
"When a senior police figure like Tim Brain tells us there's going to be a problem, then surely it's time to sit up and pay attention," he said.
"If the Chief Constable's warning is accurate, then this is an awful way to start the new year. At a local level, any loss of police officers would be particularly damaging. The Avon and Somerset force is already under-funded.
"The damage to morale and operational effectiveness from further year-on-year cuts to manpower would be disastrous.
"Just last month we learned we were being robbed of new funds to recruit PCSOs. Now it seems we will be robbed of police officers, too. The only people celebrating tonight will be the criminals."
Bath Lib Dem MP Don Foster said: "After the news that the number of PCSOs will be cut across our region, I share the concerns of Tim Brain over the funding. It's a pity as the £10m wasted on the attempt to merge our police forces together could have been better spent on policing our streets."
Cotswolds Tory MP, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, said: "Overall funding has decreased, and further reductions make further cuts inevitable, at a time when the Government has 'lost' prisoners and failed to deport violent offenders and recently we learnt that the Home Office has failed to provide police with details of crimes committed by Britons abroad."
"I have nothing but praise for our police service who deserve better; as do the people of Gloucestershire, who deserve an adequately funded police force."
Dorset Police's Chief Constable, Martin Baker, said: "Unless resources increase significantly there will be very difficult decisions to be made over how limited resources are allocated.
"This could mean service reductions in some areas," he said.
"Despite this Dorset residents can have confidence that they live in one of the lowest crime areas in the country and criminals can be certain that they have never had such a high probability of being caught and prosecuted."
According to the Home Office, spending on police, both through the Government grant and central spending, will have increased by 56 per cent - or almost £4 billion - between 2000 and 2007, from £7 billion to £11 billion.
A spokesman said: "The 2007-08 funding settlement provided an increase of a minimum 3.6 per cent for every police authority in England and Wales.
"This increase of 3.6 per cent is above inflation (about 2.7 per cent) and is higher than last year's settlement.
"Total provision for policing grants and central spending in 2007-08 is £11billion, an overall increase of 3.1 per cent over 2006/07.
"On top of the general grant, there is £1.7billion in funding for specific grants, special formula grant and transfers for Pensions & Dedicated Security Posts."
Police cuts will hit fight against crime
27 December 2006
Western Daily Press
A cut of almost 200 in the number of police staff will hit the fight against crime, West MPs have claimed.
Tony Blair has controversially slashed the total of Community Support Officers (CSOs) that will be recruited across the country from 24,000 to 16,000, despite the Government's famous pledge to be tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime.
The announcement, slipped out among news of expected council tax levels, has caused outrage in Avon and Somerset.
The cut means the West force can only recruit an extra 346 of the officers, rather than the expected 541.
And angry MPs warn the fight against anti-social behaviour will be damaged.
It comes as a major surprise as the Government has spent years arguing in favour of CSOs, who are uniformed civilians working alongside regular police constables.
When introduced in 2002, there was some opposition, with rank-and-file officers deriding them as "plastic police".
Their full-time, paid role is intended to boost police presence on the streets and combat minor crime.
They have fewer powers than regular police - their chief constable decides the level - and cannot arrest suspects. But they do have the power to detain people for up to 30 minutes until a PC arrives.
Over the years they have won more support. Taunton MP Jeremy Browne said they were vital in Avon and Somerset. The Liberal Democrat, who has urged Ministers to rethink the cut, said that, while in London there were 31.3 CSOs per 100,000 people, and the national average is 12.8, the figure for Avon and Somerset is just 8.6.
The MP said that in his constituency anti-social behaviour was the biggest day-to-day concern.
The CSOs were extremely useful in tackling such problems, including in the small towns and villages of rural Somerset, as long as they did not replace the regular police, he said.
Somerton and Frome Lib Dem MP David Heath said that while some forces did not want more CSOs or could not recruit them, that was not the case in Avon and Somerset.
The Safer Bristol Partnership, which includes the police, the city council, medical chiefs and the probation services, has slammed the cuts as dishonest and disgraceful.
Its chairman, Councillor Gary Hopkins, said it "struck at the heart of the work in Bristol to tackle anti-social behaviour and build public confidence by getting more uniformed officers on the streets".
Bristol's allocation of 132 was too small as it was, and cutting it by 36 per cent was a disaster, he said.
Bath Lib Dem MP Don Foster said: "This is a straightforward breach of a manifesto commitment to roll out full neighbourhood policing teams across the country. Cutting the promised number of CSOs by a third will make a mockery of the Government's hype about satisfying the public's need for visible community police."
Weston-super-Mare Tory MP John Penrose said the cut was particularly damaging as Avon and Somerset was already underfunded.
Home Secretary John Reid claims neighbourhood policing could be delivered with fewer CSOs. But Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said: "At no point has any Home Secretary explained to the public why they have dropped their promise."
Addicts blamed for burglary spree
7th December 2006
Weston Mercury
OVER half the burglaries in Weston are committed by drug addicts who have been sent to the town.
A new report has revealed that a staggering 57 per cent of house burglaries, 20 per cent of attacks on commercial premises and 14 per cent of drug deals are down to users living in Weston.
The town's MP, John Penrose, is calling the findings 'explosive'.
The report was published on Tuesday by the North Somerset Responsible Authorities Group.
Mr Penrose said: "The problems the report exposes are even worse than we thought.
"It reveals that up to 2,000 individuals from outside North Somerset may be coming to the area each year for access to drug/alcohol rehabilitation. Too many agencies are simply dumping addicts in Weston and then walking away.
"When offenders relapse or commit crimes, they should be sent straight back to be dealt with by the courts in their own areas."
Mr Penrose plans to meet Shadow Home Secretary David Davis MP to brief him on the report.
He added: "It's not just the probation service. Health trusts and social services departments send addicts for treatment in Weston and too many are failing in their duty of care.
"There is some good news in this report. It contains evidence of slow but steady progress by our local services in dealing with Weston's drug problems, along the lines proposed by the Cleaner Weston Campaign."
The report comes at a time when Avon and Somerset police has voiced concerns on future funding.
Police Authority Chairman Dr Moira Hamlin said: "While the authority broadly welcomes the Government's provisional funding settlement for 2007/08, which will see an increase in the grant of 3.8 per cent, we remain concerned that in excess of £11m continues to be top-sliced from our funding entitlement.
"The announcement concerning the revision of our Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) targets for 2008 is of particular concern.
"It would reduce the number of PCSOs we expected to have by 195."
MP's bid to beat arson threat
11 December 2006
Western Daily Press
Schools must fit sprinkler systems to foil arsonists who are putting young lives at risk, a West MP has warned.
John Penrose, MP for Weston-super-Mare, has launched a campaign to have the safety devices installed as the bill for school fires has topped £100 million in the past 18 months.
Avon Fire safety expert Graham Blight has slammed councils who refuse to fit sprinklers as "short-sighted"."
Minister tackled on crimewave in resort
9 December 2006
Bristol Evening Post
A Home OFFICE minister has said he is happy to visit Weston-super-Mare to discuss the drug-addict crimewave gripping the resort.
Gerry Sutcliffe has agreed to look into the concerns of Weston's Tory MP John Penrose.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Penrose highlighted the damning conclusions of a report which last week revealed that more than 2,000 drug addicts arrive in Weston every year and commit hundreds of crimes.
The report by the multi-agency Responsible Authorities Group revealed addicts were responsible for more than half of all house burglaries in the town over a two-year period
Mr Penrose has heavily criticised the "failing" probation service for not keeping an eye on addicts housed in the town.
Making a direct appeal to the government during Home Office questions, he asked: "Does the minister share my concern that it (the report) says that three people who were sent by the probation service for drug addiction treatment in Weston-super-Mare in the last year have died as a result of poor management of their cases by the national probation service?"
He added: "Will he undertake to visit Weston-super-Mare to understand what is going on there and potentially to improve the service?"
Mr Sutcliffe replied: "If it is pertinent to visit Weston, I will be happy to do so."
Mr Penrose described the report on the town's drugs rehabilitation centres as "a horrifying catalogue of errors and incompetence".
He said he would write to the Health Secretary, Home Secretary and Work and Pensions Secretary, asking them to undertake full independent reviews."
Police support chopped by half
7 December 2006
Weston & Worle News
Criminals will be jumping for joy after it was revealed the number of police community support officers to be recruited in the area will be halved, says Weston MP John Penrose.
The Home Office announcement came days after a damning report revealed police were creaking under the pressure of Weston being used by the National Probation Service as the UK's dumping ground for criminals and drug addicts.
The news is also a U-turn by the Government, which had pledged to recruit 24,000 officers across England and Wales.
The number of Avon and Somerset police's officers to be recruited will be cut from 387 to 192, putting a 'significant' extra strain on existing services.
Mr Penrose said: "This reduction is well above the national average of 33 per cent, and is particularly damaging given that Avon and Somerset is relatively under-funded.
"The extra PCSOs were supposed to correct a shortage in police numbers, but now they are being expected to cope with more work. We need more police on the beat, not less.
"These support officers were supposed to help provide a local police presence for communities in Weston and the villages. They were supposed to build links with communities to fight crime more effectively.
"We were expecting almost 400 more uniformed staff. But now the Government has done a screeching U-turn, and the only people celebrating will be the criminals."
Senior North Somerset councillor Mike Bell also criticised the announcement.
He said: "I have been out on patrol with PCSOs and have seen the difference they make. If we are to truly tackle crime, we need genuine long-term thinking and investment, and more police and PCSOs.
"We've seen a funding rollercoaster for our police. We've seen a ragtag of laws and gimmicks, and promises made and not kept.
"Community safety is the main concern of people living in North Somerset, and it's time ministers in Whitehall listened."
Police authority chairwoman Dr Moira Hamlin said: "I am writing to all our MPs and will take this up with the policing minister.
"The police authority is fighting hard to ensure we can deliver our commitment to neighbourhood policing."
John Penrose has invited senior minister Gerry Sutcliffe to see the impact the failures of the National Probation Service have had on the town.
Mr Penrose said: "It was a damning report that proved there is a fundamental failure by the National Probation Service, health trusts and social services from all parts of Britain.
"Public servants are washing their hands of vulnerable people in the hope that, by sending them to Weston, they will become somebody else's problem."
Wish they weren't here?
1 December 2006
Bristol Evening Post
Weston-super-mare is becoming as well known for its drug addicts as for its donkeys on the beach. A new report has revealed that 2,000 junkies a year are coming to the resort and many of them are being blamed for much of the local crime. VICKI FITZGERALD reports on why so many addicts end up in Weston and who - if anyone - is keeping an eye on them.
Weston-super-mare's heyday as a major holiday destination for sun-seeking Brits is long gone.
Thanks to the boom in foreign holidays the huge sums of money once spent by tourists in the North Somerset town have all but disappeared.
But while the number of Brummies in sun hats may be dwindling, there remain scores of hotels and B&Bs throughout the resort.
Over recent years these empty premises have diversified, rebranding themselves as "dry houses" for drug and alcohol addicts.
Yesterday a multi-agency report revealed there were now 2,000 drug addicts arriving in Weston every year from other parts of the country.
And although it would be wrong to say that Weston is being plagued by junkies, the town does seem to be taking more than its fair share - estimated at 12 per cent of the UK's recovering addicts.
The new report on the effects of drug addicts in Weston was published by the multi-agency Responsible Authorities Group, made up of North Somerset Council, the National Probation Service, Avon and Somerset police, North Somerset Primary Care Trust and Avon Fire and Rescue.
It has criticised the National Probation Service for allowing addicts to be sent to Weston from around the country without notifying local probation workers first.
The report found that in a study of 93 addicts sent to Weston, local probation workers had been told about just three before they arrived.
Junkies are sent to Weston by a variety of organisations and people such as probation workers, GPs, drug treatment charities and social services.
Anyone in Weston with an empty property can reopen it as a dry house - and it is national taxpayers who cough up for the rent.
Assistant chief officer for Avon and Somerset probation service John Wiseman admits it is "crazy" that addicts can be sent to Weston without the local authorities being told.
He said: "What we have discovered is that there are significant numbers being transferred into Weston-super-Mare without reference to the local probation service.
"We want them to speak to us before the individual offender is physically transferred to this area.
"When you are dealing with offenders, it is quite right that you want to remove them from their environment. Drug rehabilitation is more effective if people are taken away from the problem area.
"We do not have a problem with that in principle, but we are concerned that we are not kept informed that they are coming here."
One of the problems facing Weston is that some of the dry houses are being run by people not qualified to deal with addicts.
The probation service, police and other authorities have this year made more stringent checks, resulting in several closures.
Mr Wiseman said: "Any property owner can open up a self-styled drug rehabilitation premises.
"We are trying to work with the owners of these properties to ensure that they are operating within the approved standards and not a Mickey Mouse arrangement."
The shocking report into the number of drug addicts in Weston revealed that they were responsible for more than half the burglaries at homes in the town over a two-year period.
Of the 840 burglaries from homes in Weston between January 2004 and December 2005, 57 per cent of those detected were found to have been committed by outsiders to North Somerset who had come to Weston for drug treatment.
The report also found that a fifth of burglaries from commercial properties were carried out by drug addicts.
T he figures have angered Weston MP John Penrose, who spoke of "a horrifying catalogue of errors and incompetence".
He said: "This report is explosive. The problems it exposes are even worse than we thought.
"Too many agencies are simply dumping addicts in Weston and then walking away. When offenders relapse or commit crimes here in Weston, they should be sent straight back to be dealt with by the courts in their own areas."
For many years the authorities in Weston have wanted to know how many of the UK's recovering drug and alcohol addicts are being treated locally.
The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse has 120 units across the country, of which six - or five per cent - are in Weston.
These are said to be respected and well-run, and between them provide 278 beds for addicts in the town.
The truth is that there are thousands more addicts in Weston, but nobody knows exactly how many.
Bram Tout, former drug and alcohol co-ordinator for North Somerset Council, said the high percentage of addicts in Weston was due partly to a decline in tourism, but also to its location.
He said: "Research suggests that people who are needing treatment benefit from being away from their home area.
"Coastal resorts began to see a decline in tourist numbers in the 1980s and 90s, which saw many hotels and B&Bs close down.
"This property became available and was converted.
"Weston was also selected for its locality as it is a suitable distance from places such as south Wales, the Midlands and the South East."
Now local police, probation services and North Somerset Council have started to take action against poorly-run dry houses.
Another complication is that many of the addicts who are left unmonitored live in what are known as Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
The HMOs are only supposed to offer accommodation, not treatment, but the authorities have found that some are offering both.
This means that an addict in an HMO with a serious drug or alcohol problem may not be properly monitored because he or she is not "officially" living there.
North Somerset Council says that while many HMOs offer quality accommodation and are well managed, others are poorly run and fail to meet required standards.
Avon and Somerset police say some HMOs have recently become a cause for concern and accounted for a high proportion of police call-outs.
As a result the force launched Operation Jupiter to tackle problems and issues relating to HMOs in Weston.
Since the launch of the scheme, a number of arrests have been carried out and there has been a reduction of beds in poorly managed HMOs.
Weston residents and visitors may be shocked to learn of the number of drug addicts living in the seaside town, and there will be considerable fallout following yesterday's report. But action is already being taken to tackle the problem. MP John Penrose has long called for an accreditation scheme for all drug treatment facilities in the town, and that system has now started and is being rolled out.
Gary Twinn, chairman of North Somerset Private Landlords Forum, said: "Many bad players have already been forced out of the market and we have good ones left.
"They provide a good service and the type of service that is needed."
Weston will not revive its fortunes as a seaside attraction overnight. But the authorities believe they are heading in the right direction."
Dumping ground for the junkies
30 November 2006
Weston & Worle News
Weston is the UK's dumping ground for criminals and junkies, according to the results of an investigation into the effects of drug and alcohol services in the town.
The damning report, published by North Somerset multi-agency Responsible Authorities Group, states local services cannot cope with the thousands of drug addicts sent to Weston for rehabilitation each year.
And the document, described by Weston MP John Penrose as 'explosive' and showing a 'horrifying catalogue of errors and incompetence', also reveals that once addicts have been sent to Weston they are not supervised properly and are free to roam the streets committing crime.
The Weston & Worle News can exclusively reveal that:
More drug addicts are sent to Weston for treatment than anywhere else in the country - a situation being made much worse by an unprecedented growth in unregistered facilities;
57 per cent of burglaries committed in Weston between January 2004 and December 2005 were by people sent to the town for treatment;
Local doctors, hospitals, voluntary homeless services and police are all creaking under the added pressure of thousands of drug addicts from outside the area coming to Weston;
Three addicts sent to Weston have died in the town in the past 12 months - each death a result of drug abuse and each individual had been discharged from a dry-house a short time prior to their death;
Weston-based charity Addiction Recovery Agency is struggling to provide its service to local residents as 28 per cent of people using the service are from outside the area;
There is a significant lack of support for people who go back on drugs.
The Probation Service is heavily criticised for not supervising criminals who get banned from treatment centres, who are then allowed to remain at large in North Somerset free to commit crime.
In one example, a London man with convictions for robbery, firearms and false imprisonment sent to Weston was expelled from rehabilitation for taking drugs.
The treatment centre did not tell his probation officer he had left and so no one knew where he was. A few weeks later he was arrested and convicted of burglary, theft and aggravated vehicle taking in Weston.
Another example tells how a Drug Intervention Programme manager in London requested North Somerset keep an individual they didn't want back as he would commit crime there. Remaining in Weston, he was recently convicted of a criminal offence.
Weston MP John Penrose said: "This report is explosive and the problems it exposes are even worse than we thought.
"Too many agencies, including health trusts, social services and the Probation Service, are simply dumping addicts in Weston and then walking away.
"Also, the Probation Services are not carrying out proper risk of harm assessments when they refer offenders on drug supervision.
"And when offenders relapse or commit crimes here, they should be sent straight back to be dealt with by the courts in their own areas - but too often they remain in North Somerset free to commit crime."
"This isn't fair on the addicts nor on the people of Weston who have to live with the consequences."
Mr Penrose revealed he will be writing to three different Cabinet ministers asking for a review and will also be holding an urgent briefing with shadow Home Secretary David Davis MP."
2,000 addicts a year hit Weston
30 November 2006
Bristol Evening Post
More than 2,000 drug addicts are coming to Weston every year and committing hundreds of crimes in the town, a damning new report has revealed.
The extent of crime committed in the town by addicts sent there for treatment has been labelled by the town's MP as "horrifying".
The report revealed that the addicts are responsible for more than half of all house burglaries in the town over a two-year period.
MP John Penrose has also heavily criticised the "failing" probation service for not keeping an eye on addicts housed in the town.
The report was published yesterday by the multi-agency Responsible Authorities Group, made up of North Somerset Council, the National Probation Service, Avon and Somerset police, North Somerset Primary Care Trust and Avon Fire and Rescue.
Its task was to look at the effects of drug rehab services on Weston. It said every year more than 2,000 drug addicts were coming to the town - about five every day - from across the UK to be treated for their addictions.
It found that 57 per cent of the 840 burglaries from homes in Weston between January 2004 and December 2005 that were cleared up by police were found to have been committed by outsiders in Weston for drug treatment. It also found a fifth of burglaries from commercial properties were carried out by the addicts, and 14 per cent of drug-dealing crimes.
Mr Penrose said: "This report is explosive. The problems it exposes are even worse than we thought. Too many agencies are simply dumping addicts in Weston and then walking away."
The report said there was "poor management" by the National Probation Service of drug addicts, and some received "minimal contact" with probation workers.
The report criticised probation services from other parts of the UK, for sending at least 90 addicts to Weston "without the appropriate level of probation supervision".
Assistant chief officer for Avon and Somerset probation service John Wiseman said many drug addicts were being sent to Weston from other probation services without any notification.
He said: "What we have discovered is that there are significant numbers being transferred into Weston-super-Mare without reference to the local probation service.
"We want them to speak to us before the individual offender is physically transferred to this area."
Mr Penrose said he would be writing to the Health Secretary, Home Secretary and Work and Pensions Secretary and asking them to undertake full independent reviews into this "terrible list of systematic failures".
He added: "And when offenders relapse or commit crimes here in Weston, they should be sent straight back to be dealt with by the courts in their own areas."
Avon and Somerset police said an initiative, called Operation Jupiter, had already seen 30 arrests, the closure of poorly managed guest houses and the recovery of stolen property and drugs.
Chief Superintendent Tracy Hayler, North Somerset policing district commander, said: "Over the past two years partner agencies have worked tirelessly to reduce the problems caused by lack of control and accountability in the management, care and treatment of people with drug and alcohol problems in Weston- super-Mare. We now have a clear understanding of the work now required to build on the success."
Isabel Cummings, North Somerset Council's executive member for housing and community safety, said: "Operation Jupiter has had a spectacular effect on raising standards in houses in multiple occupation in Weston."
Drug addict numbers falling
Weston Mercury 13th October 2006
FEWER drug addicts are now coming to North Somerset for treatment, the Weston & Somerset Mercury can reveal.
Since April there has been a 20 per cent drop in the number of addicts coming to treatment centres, mostly in Weston, from outside the area, according to Bram Tout, North Somerset Council's drug and alcohol officer.
He said: "There's been a reduction in numbers referred to residential treatment across the country. We think this is down to uncertainty over Government funding.
"In addition to that there has been an impact from the police's Operation Jupiter, which targeted unregistered treatment centres and poor quality accommodation.
"Work by MP John Penrose has also had an effect. He wrote to local authorities sending people to North Somerset for treatment and asked them to be more accountable for their referrals.
"It is difficult to say if this will be a sustained drop. The Government has just made money available to increase treatment places, but Weston is unlikely to be affected because it already has treatment centres."
New computer software which monitors the number of addicts moving in and out of the area for treatment has been developed by the council.
The software aims to help addicts as they move through the treatment process and is due to go live in the next few months.
Previously the council has had to rely on figures from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring Agency which has been slow to provide information.
MP calling for DNA review
WESTON MP John Penrose is calling for a review of DNA data retention as more than 1,200 children, never convicted of a crime, in Avon and North Somerset have a DNA profile on the national DNA database.
DNA is taken by the police whenever someone is arrested, even if they are not charged, cautioned or convicted of an offence.
Mr Penrose has written to the chief constable of Avon and Somerset Constabulary, Colin Port, asking him to review the retention of the data.
Mr Penrose said: "How many people know that either their or their children's DNA has been retained even though they have not been convicted? How many even know that they have the right to ask for its removal."
Mr Penrose wants the constabulary to notify people who have not been convicted of a crime that their genetic information is on a database and to be told how to get their information deleted.
More than 67,000 people have a DNA profile on the national DNA database taken by Avon and Somerset Constabulary.
Police spokesman Ian Drury said: "The concerns and questions John has raised are currently being looked into and a response will be sent to him direct in due course.
MP WORRIED AT CHILD DNA RECORDS KEPT BY THE POLICE
Weston MP John Penrose is asking for a review of the retention of DNA data by the police.
In a letter to Avon and Somerset Chief Constable Colin Port, Mr Penrose has highlighted his concerns about the keeping of DNA profiles, in particular those of children, on the national database.
He said: "DNA is automatically taken by police and retained on a database whenever someone is arrested, even if they are never cautioned, charged or convicted of an offence.
"In particular, I'm concerned about the retention of children's DNA.
"Nationally, more than 24,000 children, who have not been convicted of a crime, are held on the database. When I raised the issue in Parliament, I discovered that at least 1,200 of those are from the Avon and Somerset area.
"Suspects who are arrested can have their DNA recorded and retained even in cases of mistaken identity.
"One of my Parliamentary colleagues reported that a 14-year-old boy in his constituency was wrongfully blamed for a fight.
"His DNA was automatically taken by police and retained, even though the real culprit was subsequently charged.
"Do people know their or their children's DNA has been retained even though they have not been convicted?
"Do they know that they have the right to ask for its removal?"
Mr Penrose called the process confusing, due to unclear and changing guidelines from the Home Office, and wants Avon and Somerset police to consider telling innocent people that their information is on the database.
He has also asked Mr Port to inform people how they can be deleted from the database.
A police spokesman said: "Chief Constable Colin Port has received a letter from Mr Penrose expressing concern over the retention of DNA data, and seeking clarification of the policy on the authorisation of the destruction of DNA and fingerprints.
"The concerns and questions raised are being looked into and a response will be issued in due course."
INNOCENT CHILDREN'S DNA STORED
The practice of keeping innocent children's DNA data on police record needs to be urgently reviewed, says a West MP. Weston-super-Mare MP John Penrose has written to the Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset constabulary, Colin Port, about the practice.
He says a parliamentary question revealed that the DNA data of at least 1,200 children from the Avon and Somerset area, who had not been convicted of a crime, is being kept on file.
DNA is automatically taken by police and retained whenever someone is arrested, even if they are never cautioned, charged or convicted of an offence. Information is held on both the National DNA Database and Avon and Somerset Police computer system.
Mr Penrose said: "I am particularly concerned about the retention of children's DNA.
"I want our local force to consider notifying innocent people that their genetic information is on the database. They also need to be told what to do if they want the Chief Constable to authorise deletion."
A spokeswoman for Avon and Somerset Police said: "The concerns and questions Mr Penrose has raised are currently being looked into and a response will be sent to him direct in due course."
PRAISE HEAPED ON CAMPAIGN TO STAMP OUT HATE CRIME AGAINST YOUNG PEOPLE
14th September 2006
Weston MP John Penrose has praised the launch of a police campaign aimed at combating hate crime and racism among young people.
After attending the Avon and Somerset police force launch on Friday, Mr Penrose said he was delighted to support of the initiative.
He said: "It quite rightly focuses on educating our young people. They need to be shown, from an early age, that it's not a crime to be different.
"Earlier this year, the Parliamentary work and pensions committee, of which I am a member, carried out a review into the reform of incapacity benefits.
"As part of my research, I came across a report from the Disability Rights Commission which revealed that nearly half of the disabled people taking part in the study said they had experienced verbal abuse, intimidation or physical attacks because of their disability.
"More than a third of these incidents were physical attacks. Almost a third of the disabled people said they experienced attacks at least once a month.
"Experts found there was a general perception among disabled people that the police could not help. Only 40 per cent of victims report incidents to the police.
"A third of those questioned had to avoid specific places and change their routine due to attacks, while one in four had moved home.
"I think this is one of the worst possible forms of bullying.
"It is usually under-reported, often because the victims feel ashamed. It can destroy lives."
Avon and Somerset police define a hate crime as a criminal offence which usually involves violence, intimidation or vandalism, in which the victim is targeted because of his or her race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender or mental or physical disability.
CALL TO CHANGE LAW OVER DRUG CENTRES
Weston and Worle News 20th July 2006
Weston MP John Penrose is calling on the Government to change the planning laws and give local authorities greater powers over the conversion of existing properties into drug and alcohol rehabilitation units.
Mr Penrose has written to Yvette Cooper MP, minister of state for housing and planning, asking her to consider the introduction of a new planning class, C2b.
This would prevent developers using a loophole in the law to turn properties with existing C2 planning consent - retirement and convalescent homes - into drug and alcohol addiction treatment centres.
Mr Penrose said: "High-quality rehabs don't cause any problems, but poorly-run places can become crime hotspots.
"Residents rightly feel frustrated there's no way of controlling these places, because planners have their hands tied behind their backs and can't intervene.
"It's time local authorities had the power to consider and properly investigate these issues through the planning legislation."
MP's dismay as addicts vanish after rehab treatment in town
Weston Mercury 21st April 2006
Over a third of addicts referred to Weston for rehab disappear once their treatment is finished, new figures have revealed.
The findings are part of an on-going investigation by Weston MP John Penrose.
Mr penrose has put the spotlight on how people with drug and alcohol problems are referred to rehab centres in the town and what happens to them afterwards.
His latest revelations show 36% of drug addicts and alcoholics disappear off the radar once they have either completed or dropped out of their treatment programmes.
He has slammed organisations that fail to keep tabs on the addicts, saying the residents and authorities in Weston are left to pick up the pieces if things go wrong.
The MP has handed his results over to the police and North Somerset Council's drug action team.
Earlier in the year, Mr Penrose raised the issue in the House of Commons after exposing the large number of local authorities which did not notify North Somerset Council about addict referrals.
He said: "These figures emphasise the scale of the problem we are facing. Where are they ending up?
"Nobody seems to know, least of all the agencies that send them here. I suspect many stay in Weston.
"The authorities have a duty of care to their addicts. Too many are slipping through the net after they finish their treatment."
MP Voices Concern Over Lost Addict
Weston & Worle News 13th April 2006
A third of drug addicts who come to Weston for help vanish once their treatment is completed, according to the town's MP.
Figures requested from local authorities who referred addicts to the town under the Freedom of Information Act show that out of the most recent 805, the whereabouts of 290 are unknown.
MP John Penrose raised the issue in a debate in the House of Commons earlier this year, and received a Government commitment to ensure that referring agencies don't abandon addicts in towns like Weston after their treatment is finished.
Mr Penrose has handed over the results of his investigations to the police and local community safety and drug action team.
Mr Penrose said: "These figures emphasise the scale of the problem that we are facing.
"Where are these people ending up? No one seems to know, least of all the agencies that sent them here.
"I suspect that many stay in Weston, but we have no way of knowing for sure.
"We have already discovered that the national figures are under-reporting the true scale of drug referrals by nearly 50 per cent.
"It is clear that hundreds of addicts are landing on Weston's doorstep every year, what is not clear is how many remain in the town when their treatment is complete.
"These authorities have a duty of care to their addicts, but too many are slipping through the net after they finish their treatment.
"If things go wrong or they relapse, it is the people and local authorities in Weston who have to pick up the pieces."
‘Vanishing' Junkies Worries
Western Daily Press 8th April 2006
Drug addicts sent to Weston-super-Mare are vanishing after their treatment, according to a West MP. An investigation by Tory MP John Penrose has revealed that more than a third of addicts (36 per cent), referred to the resort for treatment, go missing once their treatment is finished.
He has handed over the results of his investigations to the police and local Community Safety and Drugs team.
Mr Penrose said "Where are these people ending up? No one seems to know, least of all the agencies that sent them here. I suspect that many stay in Weston-super-Mare, but we have no way of knowing for sure."
Mr Penrose also raised the issue in a debate in the House of Commons earlier this year. He received a Government commitment to ensure that referring agencies do not abandon addicts in towns like Weston after their treatment is finished.
Police Team Up To Give Top Service
Bristol Evening Post 30th March 2006
Police in Weston-super-Mare are to pioneer a new "team beat" surgery in the town to help residents.
The surgery is planned for Saturday, April 8, at The Campus, Highlands Road, Worle and aims to provide a "one-stop-shop" response for the public.
Those attending the meeting will be able to not only get help and support from police officers but they will be able to seek further advice and support from North Somerset councillors, Weston town councillors, representatives from North Somerset Council's housing department, Weston-super-Mare MP John Penrose, plus a representative from ChaT (Chaplaincy about Town).
Sergeant Dave Holtby of Weston police said: "It is an exciting concept and the first time that we as a police service have embarked on a community beat surgery involving our partners. It will be taking 'joined-up thinking' into the community.
"I would expect that if a member of the public takes an issue to one organisation, for example North Somerset councillors, then the police, housing department officials or even the local MP may be able to offer further support, help or advice in order to remedy the problem efficiently and effectively."
'CRITICS HAVE NOT VISITED US'
Weston and Worle News 3rd Feb 2006
New Dawn House has been threatened with closure, but the manager says the MPs who criticise the centre have never even visited them. Catharine Federman said: "The people who have made these statements, John Penrose and the health minister, have never visited these homes.
"We provide supported accommodation for people with drug and alcohol problems, we have a supporting people contract, are part of the accreditation scheme and we are a registered charity.
"We provide good care, support and advice, and help people get back into the community."
New Dawn House in South Road is limited by the council to caring for 15 people, something Mrs Federman claims was done to force them out of business.
She said: "We are an easy target. There are other unregistered places that haven't been touched by Mr Penrose.
"We have tried to fight it but closure is still on the cards"
'DEATH SENTENCE' FEAR FOR REHABS
Weston and Worle News 3rd Feb 2006
People will die on the streets as a result of drug rehab closures, the owner of Hope House rehabilitation centre has claimed.
Registered nurse Jim Ashford has run the residential support centre in George Street for 17 years, and is highly critical of MP John Penrose's approach to the town's drug problems.
Last week, Mr Penrose scored a victory for his Cleaner Weston anti-drugs campaign, when the Government agreed to tighten up on agencies which refer addicts from around the country for treatment in Weston.
Junior health minister Caroline Flint branded Hope House as one of three in the town which she claimed were 'ineffective'.
But Mr Ashford has hit back at the critics.
He said: "Someone once said there are lies, damned lies and statistics - that about sums up Mr Penrose.
"He is trying to do something about the drugs in Weston, but he's doing it the wrong way round.
"Weston is awash with drugs - addicts are coming because there are drugs here, not because there are rehabs."
Hope House is a registered hostel, with planning permission for treating short-stay alcoholics and drug addicts, Mr Ashford said.
Guests must have a return ticket with them when they start the regime. They are taught basic survival skills to cope when they leave.
Up to 20 people can stay at Hope House, for a minimum of 14 weeks, although recent bad publicity has seen a drop in numbers.
Mr Ashford said: "It's been hinted in the Press I'm making a fortune here - that's an absolute lie. People can come to Hope House without finance. We run on DHS and housing benefit, nothing else.
"If these centres close there will be more people dying on the street, and unless something drastic happens they will make me bankrupt."
Hope House has been accused of providing a poor service with a low success rate, but Mr Ashford believes this is ridiculous.
He said: "Are you talking about staying clean for one year, until they die? Hope House has a better recovery rate than anywhere else in this town, between 60-80 per cent.
"I cannot make it 100 per cent due to the nature of what we're dealing with.
"I sat in Mr Penrose's kitchen before he was elected talking about some sort of register for places like this and, from that conversation, we have this accreditation scheme, which of course I would be interested in.
"We have had people through here who now work in town halls, a doctor, a policeman, several nurses and plumbers - all back in the community."
MINISTER CONDEMNS REHABS AS INEFFECTIVE
Weston and Worle News 3rd Feb 2006
Three Weston drug rehabilitation centres have been named and shamed by a Government minister, who has claimed they are ineffective. New Dawn House in South Road; Hope House in George Street; and Sanctuary Addiction Services in South Parade were all criticised by junior health minister Caroline Flint in the House of Commons last Wednesday.
The day before, Weston MP John Penrose scored a victory for his Cleaner Weston anti-drugs campaign, when the Government agreed to tighten up on agencies which refer addicts from around the country for treatment at Weston.
Ms Flint said: "I know the honourable member has concerns regarding unregistered residential services in his constituency, in particular New Dawn House, Hope House and Sanctuary Addiction Services.
"I share these concerns as these services are not offering effective treatment, often leading to clients being discharged either into the local community before their care is complete or without an agreed aftercare plan to return these people to their area of residence."
She said funding for New Dawn House has been terminated and it was expected to close in July.
North Somerset health chiefs have also asked for the probation service to stop using Hope House, the MP added.
Ms Flint said: "I have asked the National Treatment Agency to produce an action plan on how these issues can be addressed nationally and I have asked for regular progress reports.
"I will also be seeking to have discussion with my colleagues in the Home Office to assist any issues on the criminal justice side."
MP wins drug action pledge
Weston Mercury 27th Jan
A Government minister has pledged to draw up a national plan after admitting drug addicts were being dumped in Weston.
The promise was made during a Parliamentary debate on Tuesday called by Weston MP John Penrose to highlight the problems caused by drug rehab referrals to the town.
Responding to demands from Mr Penrose, Health Minister Caroline Flint said she would be asking the National Treatment Agency to produce an action plan to see if work done to tackle the problems in Weston could be rolled out nationally.
Miss Flint also promised she would be sending letters to referring agencies, like local authorities, informing them of their duty to tell councils when they send addicts to towns like Weston.
She also agreed to write to councils to ensure they track individuals referred for treatment.
Mr Penrose recently named seven local authorities which were not following guidelines when referring addicts for treatment in the town.
Mr Penrose said: "I am absolutely delighted with the outcome of the debate.
"I asked the Government minister for three commitments and got all three.
"This means a Government commitment to make Weston a better place to live and improve the quality of addiction treatment across the country."
SUCCESS IN DRUG DEBATE
Weston and Worle News 26th Jan 2006
Weston MP John Penrose's Cleaner Weston Campaign has achieved national success after the Government agreed to tighten up on agencies that refer addicts for treatment around the country.
It will also look at Weston's planned drug treatment centre accreditation scheme as a potential template for the rest of the UK.
The commitments came during a Parliamentary debate on Tuesday called by Mr Penrose to highlight the problems caused by drug referrals to Weston.
The MP asked for commitments to require agencies which refer addicts for treatment to notify local authorities whenever they send someone into their area, and to ensure referring agencies don't abandon addicts in towns like Weston after their treatment is finished.
Responding to Mr Penrose on behalf of the Government, health minister Caroline Flint MP agreed to all points.
Speaking after the debate, Mr Penrose said: "I am hugely encouraged by the minister's response.
"Effectively, this means that the Government has agreed to roll out the recommendations of the Cleaner Weston Campaign across the rest of the country.
"I asked the Speaker for a debate in order to bring the scale of this problem out into the open."
MP To Call For Action On Addicts In Weston
Bristol Evening Post 24th Jan 2006
Ministers will today be urged to stop councils and health agencies "dumping" drug addicts on Weston-super-Mare and then neglecting them. The town's Tory MP John Penrose has secured a high-profile parliamentary debate to quiz the Government on referrals to its drug treatment centres.
He will demand more centres are built elsewhere in the country to "take the heat" off Weston.
Mr Penrose will say local authorities send large numbers of addicts to the town, use unaccredited centres, fail to notify North Somerset Council and other agencies, or lose track of patients once they have completed their treatment.
The MP has previously written to seven authorities and agencies, including the Bristol Drug Action Team, to demand they clean up their act.
Today he will use a half-hour debate in Westminster Hall - the second Commons debating chamber - to raise the issue with health minister Caroline Flint.
He said yesterday: "I want to know if the concerns we are having in Weston are being faced across the rest of the UK.
"There is a national shortage of treatment centres and I will be asking the minister what the Government is going to do to increase the numbers across the country so the heat is taken off Weston."
Research by the MP has revealed that, in the past two and a half years, seven organisations from outside the town have referred nearly 300 addicts for treatment in Weston but no local agencies in North Somerset were notified.
He says 29 addicts were sent to unregistered premises for treatment and afterwards the referring authorities lost track of many of them.
He added: "I do not want this to be a party political football. I want to see what the Government can do to help Weston."
MP'S DRUG HIT LIST REVEALS ‘BAD PRACTIcE' OFFENDERS
Weston Mercury 13th Jan 2006
Organisations which are dumping hundreds of drug addicts in Weston – and giving them the train fare to travel to the town – have been named and shamed.
Weston MP John Penrose claims seven ‘bad practice' councils and drug action teams have flouted guidelines when sending almost 300 addicts to Weston over a two-and-a half year period.
According to Mr Penrose's research, all the groups either failed to tell the local authorities about the referrals, used unaccredited rehab centres or lost track of patients once they completed or dropped out of their treatment.
In many cases, addicts were even given return travel tickets to Weston by the referring body.
Mr Penrose has written letters to these bodies highlighting their bad practice and demanding to know how they intend to improve their performance.
One of the worst offenders is Tower hamlets drug Action Team which, between 2003 and July 2005, sent 45 drug udders to the town. The London council did not once tell the authorities in North Somerset about the referrals. Five were sent to unregistered centres and the council failed to keep track of 84 per cent of the people after their treatment finished.
A Tower Hamlets Borough Council spokesman said: "We strive to provide the best treatment that is available nationally to support people to overcome their addictions in the interest of themselves and the wider community.
"As the letter from Mr Penrose was only sent on January 9, the relevant service area has not yet had an opportunity to investigate the issues raised. We will send Mr Penrose a response as soon as we have had a chance to look into his concerns."
The six other organisations on the MP's hit-list were Berkshire Primary Care Trust, Birmingham City Council, Bristol Drug Action Team, Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust, Hammersmith and Fulham Borough Council and Hillingdon Borough Council.
The problem is so serious that North Somerset Council is due to launch an accreditation scheme for all treatment centres later this year so outside groups will have a clear idea of where to send addicts.
The action of the seven organisations has been contrasted by Mr Penrose with Oxfordshire DAAT which, during the same period, sent over 100 addicts to the town. Only four are said to have gone to unregistered premises and the local authorities were informed in almost every case. It also kept track of 96 per cent of patients after treatment.
Mr Penrose said: " Groups who refer addicts for treatment have a duty of care, not only to the addicts they refer but also to the local people and authorities in Weston-super-Mare.
"I simply will not accept that best practice cannot be followed.
"I have concerns about the scale of referrals from Oxfordshire, but their procedures should be a benchmark for other authorities.
"If people are referred then they are often given travel tickets or vouchers. If they relapse they can return to where they came from rather than stay in Weston. This practive, therefore, can be seen as a responsible one."
DRUGBUSTERS OUT IN TOWN
Weston and Worle News 12th Jan 2006
Weston MP John Penrose has joined forces with local police in the fight against drug abuse in the town.
Drug suppliers were given a rude awakening on Tuesday during a series of dawn raids across North Somerset, which saw hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of Class A drugs seized.
And this week Mr Penrose revealed more than 500 drug addicts have been sent to Weston in the past two and a half years for treatment - many to unregistered centres.
The seven local authorities and other agencies who have sent the most addicts to the town, nearly 300 in two and a half years, were named and shamed by Mr Penrose in a bid to stop unregistered users flooding into the town.
The worst offenders are Berkshire Primary Care Trust, Birmingham City Council, Bristol Drug Action Team, Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust, Hammersmith and Fulham Borough Council, Hillingdon Borough Council and Tower Hamlets Drug Action Team.
Mr Penrose has branded them as examples of 'bad practice' authorities that habitually send large numbers of addicts to the town, use un-accredited centres, fail to notify local authorities or lose track of the patients once they have completed their treatment.
Oxfordshire Drug Alcohol Action Team is one of the largest individual suppliers having sent more than 100 addicts, more than three a month.
Mr Penrose has requested detailed breakdowns on the procedures of a further four local authorities who have referred a further 149 addicts during the same period.
At the other end of the problem, Operation Relentless is the Avon and Somerset forces' ongoing campaign to crackdown on dealers.
Plain clothes officers, the dog patrol and expert door opening teams executed drug warrants under the Misuse of Drugs Act at properties in Weston, Nailsea and Portishead.
In Weston, officers raided a property at Beech Court Apartments opposite the Grand Pier, a search was carried out and a quantity of what is believed to be class A drugs was seized.
Other raids in the district saw the police confiscate a Taser gun and a large quantity of cash, and a number of arrests were made.
Since the first day of Relentless last July, more than 1,000 offenders have been arrested force-wide while around 90 arrests have been made in North Somerset.
Superintendent Julian Moss said: "Once again our operation will send out a blunt message to would-be criminals in North Somerset that we will not tolerate their activities.
"We will remain persistent in our attempts to target those who continue to flout the law as well as reassuring the general public we are relentless in our pursuit of those who choose to follow a life of crime.
"We would obviously welcome the public's support, acting as our eyes and ears and report anything they feel is suspicious and may have a connection to drugs."
Anyone able to help or has any information should call Weston police on 0845 456 7000.
And with the worrying statistic that Weston has one of the largest number of drug rehab centres per head of populace in Europe Mr Penrose added: "I have asked the Speaker for a debate in Parliament so I can raise this thoroughly."
Don't dump your drug addicts here
Bristol Evening Post 11th Jan 2006
Hundreds of drug addicts have been dumped in Weston-super-Mare and then forgotten, according to the resort's MP, John Penrose.
The Tory MP and drugs clean-up campaigner has cited seven councils and health agencies which he accuses of neglecting addicts they send to the resort for treatment.
Mr Penrose, who is at the forefront of a movement to tighten control of rehab centres and so-called dry houses in the town, says they are guilty of "bad practice".
He has written personal letters to senior management of referring agencies to urge them to clean up their acts.
Mr Penrose says they habitually send large numbers of addicts to the town, use unaccredited centres, fail to notify the local authority and other agencies or lose track of patients once they have completed their treatment in Weston.
The seven authorities and agencies he has contacted are the Berkshire Primary care trust, Birmingham City Council, Bristol drug Action Team, Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust, Hammersmith and Fulham Borough Council, Hillingdon Borough Council and Tower Hamlets Drug Action Team.
Mr Penrose claims in the past two and a half years, the seven have referred nearly 200 addicts for treatment in Weston but no local agencies were notified.
He says 29 addicts were sent to unregistered premises for treatment and afterwards the authorities locst track of many of them.
Mr Penrose has requested detailed breakdowns on the procedures of four other local authorities who have referred a further 149 addicts over the same period. He is considering writing similar letters to them.
Mr Penrose said: "Authorities who refer addicts for treatment have a duty of care, not only to the addicts they refer but also to the local people and authorities in Weston-super-Mare.
"I simply won't accept that best practice cannot be followed. During the same period, Oxfordshire DAAT referred over 100 addicts into the town. Only 4 went to unregistered premises, the local authorities were informed in virtually every case, and they can account for nearly every patient's location post-treatment (96%).
"Naturally I have concerns about the scale of referrals from Oxfordshire, 100+ addicts is a considerable number for just one county to send. However, Oxfordshire's procedures should be a benchmark for other authorities.
"That's why we need a nationally enforceable code of conduct, and clear unambiguous guidelines. I have asked the Speaker for a debate in Parliament."
Mr Penrose says his research has revealed that 87 per cent of all referring authorities do not bother to notify any of the appropriate bodies in Weston, including the police, social services, probation and health services.
He claims to have discovered that 825 addicts were referred to various addresses in Weston between 2003-5.
A spokesman for the safer Bristol Partnership said" Bristol sends a very small number of people to receive treatment in Weston-super-Mare.
"We are confident that the quality of care they receive is high and while they are under the care of agencies here, their welfare and progress is properly monitored.
"It is not the case that those being helped simply disappear.
"We do know that very few of the small number which receive treatment in Weston-super-Mare, settle in the area afterwards."
A spokesman for the Camden and Islington MHSCT said:" we can confirm that great care is exercised when deciding on placements for substance misuse service users. We always actively liaise with local partner agencies when appropriate."
Meanwhile, the go-ahead has been given to turn a Burnham-on-Sea bed and breakfast accommodation into a drugs and alcohol rehabilitation care home.
Residents living near Glaisdale in Berrow Road had protested at the new unit. But Sedgemoor District Council planners passed the change-of-use application with a 6-4 vote in favour; in line with officers' advice.
Thanks for dumping all your addicts on us
Western Daily Press 11th Jan 2006
Drug addicts have been dumped on Weston-super-Mare because local authorities across the UK are failing to keep them under control, the resort's MP claimed yesterday.
Council, health and drug workers have sent hundreds of substance abusers to the town without taking enough care, according to John Penrose.
Yesterday the MP revealed a list of seven referring organisations who have, in his view, fallen short of their responsibilities both to local people and to addicts.
Mr Penrose said they had all displayed "bad practice".
Between them the seven, which include the Bristol Drug Action Team, have referred almost 300 recovering addicts to rehabilitation centres in Weston over the past two-and-a-half years.
Some sent recovering heroin users to unregistered clinics, while others failed to notify local health authorities or police about new arrivals.
Perhaps most disturbingly, some authorities failed to keep tabs on what happened to patients after treatment, suggesting they may have fallen through the cracks. The MP, who has taken a strong stand against the problems drug abusers cause, has now written to all seven asking them to mend their ways.
"By not checking where they go once they have finished, and by not notifying all the relevant authorities, they are putting at risk some very vulnerable people who are trying to put their lives back on the straight and narrow, " he said.
"Also, at the same time, it is not fair on the people of Weston. If something goes wrong with an addict's treatment and the local authority doesn't deal adequately with them then Weston-superMare is left to pick up the pieces. " The town has acquired an unwanted reputation as a dumping ground for troubled drug abusers from across the country. Although it is home to some well-respected and registered rehabilitation centres, some of its old guesthouses and large homes have been turned into less reputable units.
North Somerset Council has been working to improve the standard of clinics in the town, and some have closed down. It is due to bring in an accreditation scheme later this year. But Mr Penrose believes local authorities who send their addicts to Weston also have a duty to help make sure the town doesn't end up flooded with addicts who are not being properly monitored.
Apart from Bristol DAT, the others contacted by the MP are: Berkshire Primary Care Trust; Birmingham City Council; Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust; Hammersmith and Fulham Borough Council; Hillingdon Borough Council; and Tower Hamlets Drug Action Team.
ALL of them failed to take at least one of the following steps - using accredited centres, notifying local authorities of referral, or tracking patients who have finished treatment.
The MP's findings were based on results of a survey made by him, and his team, of more than 100 local authorities in England under the Freedom of Information Act.
They have discovered that at least 850 drug addicts were referred to the town, which has a population of 75,000, in the past 30 months, though the real figure is thought to be at least 1,000.
Drug Addicts 'Not Known' When They Arrive In Town
Weston and Worle News 15th Dec 2005
Nearly nine out of 10 imported addicts come into Weston without the town's authorities knowing anything about them, according to a new report.
Weston MP John Penrose has been carrying out research into the town's drugs problems since he launched his Cleaner Weston campaign last year.
Figures requested under the Freedom of Information Act have revealed a large number of local authorities fail to notify anyone in North Somerset about addict referrals.
Of 120 councils, 87 per cent said they do not bother to notify either the police, social services, probation, health services or North Somerset Council.
The figures are based on a sample survey of 825 addicts referred to Weston addresses between 2003-5.
Mr Penrose said: "Our investigations are exposing a real can of worms.
"There is supposed to be a national treatment agency register showing the number of individuals coming to Weston and where they've come from. It's virtually useless.
"It bears no relation to the true figures that we have exposed.
"For the past three years, we have discovered that the national figures are under-reporting the true scale of drug referrals by nearly 50 per cent.
"That means the situation is roughly twice as bad as everybody thought."
Mr Penrose said he would continue his research and will then target those authorities that use unaccredited centres and habitually send large numbers of addicts to the town.
He is also calling for a nationally enforceable code of conduct and will be requesting a debate in the House of Commons.
Drugs shock
Weston Mercury 9th Dec 2005
Almost 90 per cent of addicts arrive in Weston every year without the proper authorities being notified, a new report claims.
This shocking figure has been revealed in a survey carried out by Weston MP John Penrose as part of his Cleaner Weston Campaign.
Mr Penrose's office contacted nearly 200 councils from around the country which are known to send their addicts to the town for drug and alcohol treatment.
Of the 120 councils that have so far responded, 87 per cent admitted they did not bother to inform either North Somerset Council, the probation service, the health services or the police. The figures are based on a sample of 825 addicts sent to the resort from 2003-05.
Mr Penrose says the research also shows the nationally collated figures on the National Treatment Agency (NTA) register on referrals badly under-report the number of addicts sent to Weston.
Mr Penrose found that, over the last three years, only 50 per cent of addicts receiving treatment in Weston appear on that list. At present,