Political opinion: Alex Ballinger welcomes Winter of Action to tackle town-centre crime in Halesowen
Alex Ballinger, Labour's MP for Halesowen, has welcomed the government’s Winter of Action, a nationwide crackdown on shop theft, street crime and anti-social behaviour to keep people safe during the Christmas period.
The campaign will mean more visible patrols, faster enforcement and closer work with local councils and businesses to better protect our high streets.
We know this type of targeted action works. In the summer, the Labour government launched a Safer Streets crackdown which delivered over 16,000 arrests and fines in nearly 650 town centres and saw a strong rise in patrols. ASB fell in town centres and people felt more confident visiting their local high street.
But this Labour government knows there is much more to do to make sure people feel safe in their communities. That's why, this winter, police will also roll out new hyperlocal HEX zones that target the small areas most affected by knife crime. Pilots are already under way in major cities including Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, Peterborough, London, focusing on locations where knife crime is most prominent and helping forces focus resources where they matter most.
The Winter of Action sits at the heart of Labour’s wider Plan for Change, which will restore neighbourhood policing, tackle crime and make our town centres places people feel proud to use again.
By spring there will be 3,000 more neighbourhood police officers, stronger powers to tackle shop theft and anti-social behaviour and a new offence for assaulting retail workers.
Labour's Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: "Shoplifting and anti-social behaviour are tearing at the fabric of our communities.
"This winter we are launching a crime-fighting blitz with police patrolling our high streets across the country.
"This is part of our wider plans to fight crime with 3,000 more police on the beat by the Spring to catch criminals and make our communities safe.”
Alex Ballinger, Labour's MP for Halesowen, said: “People in Halesowen have told me they are fed up with crime on our high streets. The Winter of Action shows Labour is getting a grip. More patrols, quicker action against offenders and real support for local shops will make a big difference here.
"Everyone should feel safe when they shop or go out, and I am proud to back a government that is finally putting communities first.”
