Helen Jones

Labour Party | Warrington North

Law and Order

As many of you will know I am conducting an ongoing survey across Warrington North and the results have been quite decisive.  Your top concern, by far, has been law and order, and in particular issues surrounding vandalism, graffiti, and drunken yobbish behaviour.  That is why I make no apology for actively supporting the tough measures introduced last year in the Anti-Social Behaviour Act and why I have called for greater use of the powers now available especially against anti-social tenants.

Loutish behaviour remains a blight on too many families in my constituency – it is not acceptable for people to be on the receiving end of vandalism, graffiti or hooliganism every night.  That is why I will be supporting the new measures to tackle these problems including proposals to give the police, community support officers and park warden’s powers to impose ‘on-the-spot’ fines for anti-social offences like graffiti, littering, fly-posting and vandalism. 

The state of our local environment is an important element in how we feel about our local community.  This is why measures to ensure abandoned cars can be removed quickly are very welcome as are the proposals to curb noise nuisance.  Whether it’s noisy neighbours, a local business, or gangs hanging around back alleys, noise can ruin our quality of life.  I am pleased to see that councils will get new powers to tackle noise pollution whether from pubs and nightclubs or by closing down a back alley that attracts anti-social behaviour.  Offenders need to know that they face strong consequences.

Many of you have said how concerned you are at the activities of some of our young people.  Those causing problems should be firmly dealt with but it is true to say that most of our youngsters are well behaved.  It is, however, not hard to see how a group of young people, perhaps talking loudly, can seem an imposing, even menacing sight, to other people.  Part of the problem is that many youngsters don’t have anywhere to go and meet their friends which is why I am calling for a review of our youth services which I think are inadequate and under funded.  Many facilities already exist, for example in our schools, which cannot be accessed in the evenings and weekends by our youth.  We need to find ways of opening these facilities, for example by supporting governors in the financial costs of opening school facilities out of hours.

I believe these types of measures are the right ones for making our community safer, cleaner and more secure and that they are addressing the concerns you tell me are some of your top priorities.  I would welcome your views so please get in touch either by letter to Gilbert Wakefield House,  67 Bewsey Street,  WA2 7JQ,  by fax on 01925 232 239,  by phone on 01925 232 480 or by e-mail at jonesh@parliament.uk