crime

Dear Member,

Croydon was let down in the riots. Now they’re cutting our police service in Croydon North

As the dark winter nights arrive, for many of us, simply walking home from the railway station or bus stop becomes ever more threatening. That sense of threat is even greater if you consider how many Croydon police officers have been cut.

South Norwood Police Station: 
Tories are closing this Police Station 

Since 2010, Croydon has lost 93 police officers, or 12 per cent of the borough’s officers. Police sergeants have been moved away from Croydon North, with replacements promised but not yet on our streets. Police stations, such as South Norwood, are being closed and sold off.

Croydon, London’s most populated borough, now has 659 officers in its Borough Command. London's Police Commissioner has confirmed that by 2015 the police service in London will have had to make £500 million in budget cuts. That means even fewer police officers, and it will also mean much less public confidence about safety on our streets.

Nowhere will that be more hard-felt than in those areas of Croydon North worst hit by the terrible riots in August 2011.

On the night of August 8 last year, at the height of the rioting with television pictures of Croydon ablaze being shown around the world, there were only 155 police officers on the streets of Croydon. 

Key riot-trained officers had been sent elsewhere in London.

The policing of the town was wholly inadequate in both numbers and management.

Croydon North was the most badly hit part of the town. Malcolm Wicks, the MP for this area for 20 years before his sad death, was scathing about the police’s handing of the riots, the inadequacy of the inquiry which followed and the lack of support given to the businesses which were looted and burned out. Croydon was badly let down by Tory management of the police services in London.

The derelict buildings stand in evidence of the night that Croydon burned, and of the neglect of the area by Croydon’s Tory council and London’s Tory mayor.

Rising Crime

Even before last August, crime was already on the rise in Croydon, driven by recession and cuts in police capacity. Official figures from London Mayor Boris Johnson’s Office for Policing and Crime show that in the last four years, in Croydon…

·        Grievous Bodily Harm up 151%

·        Rape up 150%

·        Burglaries up 22%

Despite such evidence, Mayor Johnson is allowing the police cuts to go ahead, and the Conservatives in Croydon Town Hall are doing nothing to oppose that to protect our town.

Labour believes that these cuts – 20 per cent in total – are far too much. The cuts are being hurried through. The community and their representatives are not being given clear information about plans for police stations and there's not yet been any consultation about alternative facilities to replace front desks.

South Norwood police station to close

In September, Tory Mayor Boris Johnson announced that South Norwood police station was to close – this despite of community concerns. It is a relatively modern station in a very central location to Croydon North, so the decision seems to lack clear justification.

Fighting the cuts and keeping close to the community

What is at stake isn't just the issue of police numbers but the ability of the Borough Commands to carry out the excellent crime prevention work and community outreach which, prior to 2008, had started to prove so effective in building confidence within communities, improving relationships between police and the community and gathering intelligence to prevent and deal with crime.

As Labour's MP for Croydon North I would work with councillors, community groups, the London Assembly and local businesses to campaign against the continuing cuts to police numbers. I will argue for no closure of South Norwood police station until acceptable alternative facilities are in place.

I look forward to working together with you in the best interests of the people of Croydon,

Val Shawcross AM CBE

Women members support Val for Croydon North

By Lee Webster, Labour member and women’s rights activist, Selhurst

Labour women meet Val Shawcross, October 28th

After a meeting on Sunday to hear from local women Labour Party members, Val Shawcross announced that if she is selected and then elected as MP for Croydon North, she will run additional advice surgeries for women to ensure that the views and needs of local women are always at the heart of her work.

Val said, “It’s clear that women are coming under more and more pressure, as cuts to local services are really biting, and there are fewer ways for women to seek support and advice.  It’s important to me that I hear the views of all constituents, women and men, and from across the diversity of communities in Croydon.  By creating a space for women to talk to me about the issues affecting them, I can make sure that no-one’s views get left out”.

Sharing ideas and experiences

This was one of a range of areas of discussion, when a dozen local Labour women met Val over a cup of tea and slice of cake to share their views and experiences.  We had a broad ranging, insightful, political conversation, where ideas flowed, experiences were shared, and plans made to work together for women in Croydon.

Issues affecting Croydon Labour women are the issues that we all care about – from the NHS, to the economy, to services for hard-working parents, to police cuts, to transport, and to rebuilding Croydon after the riots.

What was clear from the women who came to meet Val, is that we need an MP who will fight at a national level to protect local services, who will put Croydon and its regeneration first, and who will play her part in making sure that a Labour government comes back into power at the next general election.

Val’s priorities

Val laid out her priorities, and her vision for tackling the “cocktail of crises facing Croydon”. It is a vision based on fairness and equality, of helping families cope with the rising costs of living, of seeking improvements to local hospital provision, and fighting for help for those most affected by last year’s riots.

Local activist Lucy Milton-Gorvie with Val

Val highlighted her commitment to women’s rights and equality, saying she wants to be a Labour politician who’s part of a network of Labour women activists.  She praised the effective campaigning of Croydon Labour Women’s Forum, and promised to campaign alongside Labour women.

Selhurst activist, Lucy Milton-Gorvie said after the meeting “I was excited when I heard that Val was standing, and after today’s meeting I am definitely going to vote for her.  She has what we are looking for in Croydon North”.