Laura Anne Jones MS: “Getting more police officers onto our streets is one of the people’s priorities”

The first duty of any Government is to protect its citizens.

So I was interested recently to hear two pieces of news that affect residents of South East Wales.

First, Gwent Police Force has been bolstered by an additional 36 officers since the UK Conservative Government launched a major recruitment drive in September 2019.

Since the start of this recruitment campaign, a total of 233 extra officers have joined police forces in Wales as a direct result of the drive.

Getting more police officers onto our streets is one of the people’s priorities and I am delighted by this news.

Every one of these officers will make an enormous difference in helping to cut crime and keep people safe.

By backing our police with the funding, powers and resources they need we will keep the public and our communities safe so that people everywhere can live their lives free from the fear of crime.

Of more concern is the news that Gwent Police has missed out on funding to make our streets safer.

The UK Government’s Safer Streets Fund forms part of its concerted action to tackle crime and to stop offences that blight communities and cause misery to victims from happening in the first place.

The extra funding would have been used to improve security in areas particularly affected by acquisitive crimes such as burglary, vehicle theft and robbery.

It would fund measures proven to fight crime. These would include simple changes to the design of streets such as locked gates around alleyways, increased street lighting and the installation of CCTV.

It would also be used to train community wardens, deliver local crime prevention advice to residents and to establish neighbourhood watch schemes.

However, Gwent is the only police force in Wales not to receive a share of this additional funding. Police and Crime Commissioners were invited to bid for a share of the £25 million Safer Streets Fund in January with each project eligible for a grant of up to £550,000.

I cannot believe that in the whole of the Gwent Police region there wasn’t a single project considered worthy enough to improve the safety of the public.

People have a right to know why Gwent Police missed out on this funding.