Will our Town & Parish Councils Do Something About Their Statutory ‘Duty’ To Comply With Crime & Disorder Act 1998
In the bleak midwinter when frosty wind made moan and earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone, one Cllr went above and beyond his duty to catch thieves stealing the Christmas Light bulbs from the Christmas tree in Lydd Church. He lead by action, not words.
In the mid noughties Cllr Clive Goddard of Lydd Town Council camped out in former Cllr Mrs Carol Waters garden to see who was taking the Christmas tree lights from the Christmas tree in the church yard. He was not alone. He was accompanied by a police officer. This is actually minuted in the NOTES of a meeting of the CRIME WORKING GROUP held on Tuesday 5th June 2018 at 11.00am in the Lydd Guild Hall Council Chamber – see page 2
Cllr Goddard and the police officer for all their efforts never caught the culprit/s and Lydd Town Council paid for new lightbulbs at a cost to LTC.
Cllr Goddard’s willingness demonstrates he is a man of action, not just words.
Now we recount this tale of derring do by Cllr Goddard, for a purpose. That purpose is to remind our Town & Parish Council to comply with their statutory duty to comply with s17 of the Crime & Disorder Act 1998 and consult with local residents and businesses on how they intend to reduce crime. Let’s not forget rural crime hits Kent worse than anywhere else in UK
On Sunday 27th Oct at 3pm in the Woodward Hall, St.Eanswythe ’s C of E Primary School, Folkestone & Hythe Labour Party held a Crime & Anti-Social Behaviour Summit. In attendance were the following Labour Cllrs – all pictured:
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Cllr Abena Akuffo-Kelly – Folkestone Town Council
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Cllr David Horton – Folkestone Town Council
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Cllr Belinda Walker – Folkestone Council
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Cllr Ray Field – Folkestone Town Council and Folkestone & Hythe District Council
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Cllr Nicola Dean – Folkestone Town Council and Folkestone & Hythe District Council
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Cllr Laura Davison – Folkestone & Hythe District Council
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Cllr Jackie Meade – Folkestone Town Council and Folkestone & Hythe District Council
Out here on the wilds of Romney Marsh, the species known as “parish councillor” is a rare sight, except for one somebody mentions “elections”.
Rural crime and the prevention of it has not been on any agenda, I’ve seen on the parish council website. As for a statutory duty to consult, well I like many others across the parish are still awaiting for that to happen
It most likely that our Town & Parish Cllrs, like some of our District Cllrs, have NOT had the necessary training in what a statutory duty is to enable them to engage and participate with their statutory duty to consult with residents and businesses.
https://shepwayvox.org/2019/10/26/are-16-folkestone-hythe-district-councillors-abusing-their-position/
As the post says, Town & Parish Councils can use the Council tax they receive to pay for initiatives and solutions to reduce crime and disorder.
Many people love the NHS and would pay more to assist it via their taxes, but people out on Friday’s and Saturdays end up at A & E. So shouldn’t we use our council tax to pay to reduce the crime and disorder which is causing this, so helping the NHS save some money?
You should also ask why Council officers and parish council staff have not done anything about this requirement.