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We want everyone to help us beat crime
• WHILST we have attracted a range of experts and specialists in the field of antisocial behaviour to contribute to our review, I would like to emphasise that this is a review of the situation and the powers used in Camden (Hit squad flies in to cut crime).
The ‘national experts’ workshop is one part of a much bigger process. We have already had a workshop with those council officers, police officers and other partners who work on the front line dealing with antisocial behaviour.
Last week we had a very successful workshop, where a number of community leaders and residents who have the most direct experience of antisocial behaviour and the measures Camden uses to tackle it came together to evaluate past work and debate how we can improve our approach in the future.
This is very much a Camden-focused review. A range of local organisations, including the five District Management Committees and the Safer Neighbourhoods Panels, will be invited to take part. We will also be holding a workshop with young people across Camden.
We also want to hear from any and all residents, who can make their views known individually or collectively, directly to their ward councillors.
Contributions can also be made through ward meetings that will be held by councillors to discuss the borough’s new community strategy. Times and dates of these meetings can be found at www.camdentogether.org.uk.
Cllr Ben Rawlings
Executive Member
Community Safety
Camden Council
• MOST local people are still baffled about why the new Lib Dem/Tory coalition are taking so long reviewing Camden’s anti-social behaviour policy.
In June Lib Dem Leader Keith Moffitt and 24-year old- Community Safety Tsar Ben Rawlings launched a review of Asbos at a photo-opp in Inverness Street dressed as street wardens.
Yet it took until late July – and a Freedom of Information request – for any terms of reference to be published.
It is now approaching November and there is still no word when the results will be announced – nor a peep from the new Town Hall scrutiny system on how badly this review has been managed by the new Executive.
While it’s very worthy to ask Liberty what they think about crime in Camden, I’m afraid that this politically-motivated review will undermine the council’s previously strong track record on anti-social behaviour which saw crime in the borough fall by 10 per cent in 2005 and by over 30 per cent in wards like Somers town.
If the previous Labour administration had dithered on this issue – or undermined measures to combat anti-social behaviour - your paper would rightfully have criticised the council for not dealing with peoples’ number one concern. Isn’t it time the CNJ asked more questions?
Cllr Theo Blackwell (Lab)
Regent’s Park Ward
• I WAS interested to learn that so-called experts have been drafted in from across the UK for a summit to advise London town halls on how to solve the problems of drugs and crime “once and for all”.
They include university lecturers, researchers, out of town police officers and policy advisors. It is said that they are due to run the rule over Camden’s effort to rid the streets of troublemakers.
It will be very interesting to hear what this group of experts have to say, as the drug and crime culture is part of normality and is out of control.
Over the last 30 years we have witnessed our welfare state being flogged off to the highest bidder.
The gaps between the have and have not, has become almost criminal.
We have thousands of workers who work very hard to pay the bills, with nothing left over for a rainy day or a holiday.
In the year 2006 the vast majority recognise that we have become a selfish, uncaring, dog eat dog divided community in which we are encouraged to take, take, take.
How can we make poverty history when the fat cats continue to fill their own pockets at the expense of those who struggle to get by?
I would hope that the above experts live in the real world. It may indeed be the responsibility of the government for the growing crime culture in the country.
Alan Patterson
S.T.A.R.T, Somers Town ART
Chalton Street, NW1
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