Meeting with Home Secretay, Alan Johnson

On Wednesday afternoon I, along with many local councillors,community activists, from Reading, including Louise from Reading Single Homeless Project and Gary, Chair of Southcote Neighbourhood Action Group met with the Home Secretary, Alan Johnson at Dee Park to voice I concerns over anti-social behaviour and policing of Reading's streets. I discussed the issue of increased resourcing and good strategies, such as the Family Intervention Project but that we needed to engage more with local people as there is a view from many that nothing is being done to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and that the police are never around when needed.

Alan Johnson was able to correctly state that Neighbourhood policing has been rolled out throughout the Reading area, including Southcote and this has helped make policing more visible. We also noted that reporting had gone up in the West Reading area and that some crimes had dropped, contrary to Tory propaganda. However, as a representative of Southcote I committed to working with the police and other agencies to assist local people combat crime and anti-social behaviour as whether politicians like it or not there is a view amongst some people in society, particularly vulnerable people like the elderly and parents with young children that they are not safe to walk the streets.