Jon Trickett

Wakefield MP welcomes money to tackle anti-social behaviour

This week the Government announced an extra £54,000 to help tackle anti-social behaviour across the Wakefield District.

Anti-social behaviour is the top priority for the region and impacts on communities more than any other crime and disorder issue.  In order to tackle this, the Government implemented the Youth Crime Action Plan, which has benefited almost 56,000 young people in Yorkshire and Humberside with £3.65 million of Government funding.

52 ‘Operation Staysafes’ have been conducted across Wakefield.  This initiative is designed to take children off the streets at night and return them to a safe place; 1,059 Wakefield young people have been engaged, whilst 978 have come into contact with street based teams and 292 by Youth Offending Team workers.

The results are starting to show: since this time last year, the percentage of West Yorkshire residents who feel that anti-social behaviour has got worse, has decreased to just 18%.

Local MP Jon Trickett said:

Anti-social behaviour can blight families, communities and the lives of young people themselves.

The Government’s policy is to nip any such behaviour in the bud before it develops to more serious, criminal behaviour and intervene in young people’s lives as early as possible.

Since 1997, we have 500 more police on the beat in West Yorkshire and we have seen the effects of this locally.  We know there is still much more to do and are committed to putting resources into the areas where youth crime is highest, Wakefield being one.

Compare this approach to the Conservatives plan to cut 3,000 police officers if they were elected and it is apparent that there is a clear cut choice on law and order.