Archive for July 18th, 2013
Thursday, July 18th, 2013
The number of crimes fell to 8.6 million in England and Wales in the year up to March 2013, the lowest figure since records began in 1981.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said it was a 9% decrease compared with last year and overall crime is now running at half the level it peaked at in 1995.
Home Secretary Theresa May praised the police forces but also her own government, which she said had “played its part by slashing red tape and scrapping targets to enable the police to focus on crime fighting”.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said, “It’s one of the great triumphs of recent years that we’ve seen crime come down.”
The stats also showed that firearm offences have dropped by 15% in year ending March 2013, continuing to fall since a peak registered in 2005/2006 and offences that involved a knife or sharp instrument decreased by 15% compared with the previous year.
Thursday, July 18th, 2013
An on-going crackdown on car insurance dodgers in Staffordshire has been praised in the House of Commons.
Cars Behind Bars was instigated by Staffordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis. The campaign has so far seen 375 vehicles seized, some to be scrapped, in just two months.
During Home Office questions this week, Monday 15 July, Home Secretary Theresa May spoke of “…the excellent work that Staffordshire police force is doing to tackle this particular problem, which is an issue that blights many areas up and down the country. Other forces would do well to look at the example set by Staffordshire police, and recognise the importance of this crime in the eyes of the public and follow its example.”
Mr Ellis said, “The zero tolerance approach on insurance dodgers has proved very popular – people I’ve spoken to across Staffordshire are so enthusiastic about this crackdown. It’s about fairness for law-abiding motorists who are hit by rising premiums because of these law-breakers.
“People who drive without insurance have nowhere to hide. They are being caught and dealt with by having their cars seized and, in some cases, scrapped.”
The seized vehicles can be viewed at www.staffordshire.police.uk/carsbehindbars. Cars Behind Bars uses Staffordshire’s extensive automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system that identifies those flouting the law.
The fixed penalty fine for people who are caught without insurance is set to increase nationally from £200 to £300 this summer. Motorists also face their car being seized, could be summoned to court and be disqualified, and an endorsement of six penalty points. Drivers re-claiming their car when they have proof of insurance have to pay £150 car recovery costs plus £20 per day storage.
Nearly 200,000 motorists have been given the Cars Behind Bars message thanks to petrol pump warning signs in no insurance hotspot areas in Stoke-on-Trent, Burton, Tamworth and Cannock.
Thursday, July 18th, 2013
Crimes recorded by police in England and Wales have fallen by 7% in the year ending March 2013, according to the Office for National Statistics.
There were reductions in nearly all the main categories of crime including violence, but sexual offences rose 1%. Separate data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales showed the number of crimes had fallen 9% since a year ago and the Home Office said the number of police officers had fallen to below 130,000 – 4,500 fewer than last year.
The Prime Minister hailed the figures as “good news” at a time of police cuts and thanked the service for its efforts.
Mr Cameron said, “We have asked them to do more with less resources. They have performed, I think, magnificently.”
The Crime Survey, which is based on people’s experience of crime and includes offences, which aren’t reported, now shows offending is at its lowest level since the survey began in 1981. Our correspondent said levels of crime had been falling since the mid 1990s, but there were some indications the decrease may now be slowing.
The Home Office has also released figures on the number of police officers, showing there were 129,584 officers at the end of March – 14,000 fewer than in 2010 and the lowest number of officers since 2002.
Thursday, July 18th, 2013
Conservative controlled Staffordshire County Council’s transport leader has vowed to fight for compensation and mitigation for HS2 communities, following yesterday’s start of consultation on Phase 2.
Mark Winnington, Cabinet Member for Economy and Infrastructure, said the consultation was an important opportunity for people to have their say on the high-speed train link proposals. If HS2 goes ahead, it will drive through 45 miles of Staffordshire countryside, with both routes of the second phase to Manchester and Leeds cutting through the county.
Cllr Winnington said, “HS2 will carve up Staffordshire, with this second phase impacting on more communities and a larger slice of the environment, than the first phase. Since the high speed link was first announced we have been working closely with communities to ensure HS2 Ltd. hears their voice.
“The impact of living in the shadow of this national transport scheme is enormous and HS2 Ltd and the Government have to recognise that if it does go ahead, residents face years of uncertainty, living near a construction site as it is built and eventually a high speed train going past their door.
“That’s why are absolutely committed to fighting for meaningful mitigation and compensation for those affected and will be doing everything in our powers to lessen the impact of this second phase, should it go ahead.”
The consultation on Phase 2 started yesterday, Wednesday 17 July and closes on January 31, 2014. HS2 Ltd Consultation events will take place across communities affected by the scheme including one at Tamworth Assembly Rooms.
The eastern leg, which is proposed to clip parts of Tamworth, would serve stations in the East Midlands, South Yorkshire and Leeds. The line would connect with the London-West Midlands leg to the east of Birmingham, near Junction 4 of the M6, and then follow the M42 corridor north-east towards Derby and Nottingham.
The western leg of the network would serve the proposed stations at Manchester Airport and Manchester Piccadilly stations. The line would connect with the London-West Midlands leg near Lichfield in the West Midlands, before heading north-west past Stafford and on towards Crewe.
Mark continued, “This scheme is being forced on Staffordshire without any tangible economic benefits to the county and, just as we have on Phase One, we will be fighting the corner for our communities every step of the way ensure that if the scheme does go ahead they get meaningful mitigation and generous compensation.”
Further details of the consultation and how to have your say are available on HS2 Ltd’s website.
The number of crimes fell to 8.6 million in England and Wales in the year up to March 2013, the lowest figure since records began in 1981.
