Ealing Liberal Democrat Councillor Connie Hersch, opposition spokesperson on Policing & Communities writes of the issues of crime and fly-tipping impacting residents and businesses across Ealing. Councillor Hersch says the issues need to be addressed by both the Conservative government and Labour-run Ealing and advises residents to report what they see.
“Phone robbing, burglaries, car thefts, rubbish on the streets and violent behaviour have significant impact on how safe we feel in and around our homes.
“The Conservative government has depleted police forces over many years, with the consequence that the police are overstretched, under-resourced and have had to cut down on services. We should now expect that each burglary is attended in person by the police, and the Liberal Democrats are calling for a new statutory guarantee on that.
“The latest news on phone snatching has likely made a lot of people a bit wary, wondering if they have to look over their shoulders when using their phones on the pavements of London. We need to see more walking officers out and about.
“Fly-tipping is a criminal offence, and it is punishable by a fine of up to £50,000. There are about 15,000 reports of fly tipping every year in Ealing (and many get cleaned up unreported), costing the council taxpayer at least £300,000.
“Beyond that, fly-tipping has an impact on the community. It can be dangerous – any sharp items can be a danger to both humans and animals, and it will surely affect our enjoyment and how we feel about our neighbourhood. If fly-tipping happens in parks or even just green stretches next to the road it takes away the natural beauty we enjoy, especially in spring.
“The Liberal Democrats in Ealing have campaigned against Labour’s closure of the Acton recycling centre which has made recycling even more difficult, and hard to reach for people without a car. The Council officers even admitted that fly-tipping would rise once the tip closed.
“You can report fly-tipping as well as graffiti, and even broken street lights to Ealing Council using the phone app Love Clean Streets, or by calling 020 8825 8825 or on www.ealing.gov.uk/reportit
“As the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for policing matters, I encourage residents to report any crime to the police and antisocial behaviour to the council. You might think they will not do anything but if it is not reported then they surely won’t! If cases are not reported, the police will not know where to focus and the Safer Neighbourhood team cannot point out problems.
“Call the police on 999 if it is an emergency and a crime is ongoing or 101 if an immediate response is not needed. Antisocial behaviour like street drinking, abandoned cars and excessive noise can also be reported to the council.”
