Below is a Facebook post this week from Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen – Tees Valley Mayor.
It’s strong stuff that underlines a) the seriouness of problems facing Middlesbrough town centre and b) the disconnect between the elected Mayor of the Tees Valley and his local police force.
Not good for residents or businesses with a stake in the town centre…
“The Chief Constable of Cleveland Police is refusing to meet with me after informing me that the police do not want Town Guards in Middlesbrough Town Centre to help make the town safe.
The plans, which are ready after being developed with local firms and Cleveland Police, would have seen Town Guards given formal police powers to tackle crime in the town centre, with £1.3m of funding already signed off!
This is a safety measure that’s been used in over a dozen places across the country, including in Lancashire, Wiltshire, Bristol, Kent and Merseyside. Yet, Cleveland Police drag their feet and block progress – all while Middlesbrough Town Centre continues to suffer.
Cleveland Police is a broken force that has proven itself to be incapable of keeping our town centres safe.
Safety, crime, and antisocial behaviour are real problems in Middlesbrough Town Centre, and until we tackle these issues head on, people won’t feel confident enough to return.
Businesses and residents have been clear that we need to get tough on crime. That’s exactly what our Town Guards plan was about, with £1.3m to be invested to put boots on the ground to make the town safer.
We all know police forces across the country are under real pressure, and that’s exactly why we lined up a clear plan and the funding to back it to crack down on crime. For Cleveland Police and the PCC to turn their backs on our plans and attempt to frustrate them every step of the way, ignoring the concerns of local businesses and residents, is nothing short of unbelievable.
If ever proof was needed to scrap Police and Crime Commissioners and overhaul Cleveland Police, this is it. It’s long overdue!”