Where's The Logic?
June 25, 2004 8:02 AM
This following was sent to the Kent Messenger on 22nd June 2004, by County Councillor Geoff Rowe.
Despite Hadlow only having 229 and East Peckham and Golden Green only having 188 cases of recorded crime April 2003- March 2004, compared with Aylesford 518 cases and East Malling 412 cases KCC allocation logic felt that they should be offered a Community Warden to assist with their Crime Prevention problems.
Geoff Rowe, Liberal Democrat Member for Malling Rural North East, cannot understand the interpretation of the criteria which includes specific crime data and social deprivation indices as major determining factors for the allocation.
Aylesford recorded a score of 113.9 total crimes per 1,000 population.East Malling scored 92.6 compared with Hadlow 51.8 and East Peckham and Golden Green 51.1.
Despite support from both the police and Tonbridge and Malling Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership KCC determined the allocation not in accordance with its own criteria.They decided that Hadlow and East Peckham should be provided with a new Community Warden asap,whilst Aylesford and East Malling will again have to wait.
Leybourne is to receive the services of a new Police Community Support Officer, part funded by the Home Office despite having only only 346 cases 61.6 crimes per thousand population(figures recorded with West Malling).
Geoff has identified that Aylesford is within the top 4 of crime areas in the Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council Area and yet so far the only one to not have received any additional policing support."Its a cause for concern when lesser crime areas receive additional resources, first, without any identifiable logic and outside the published criteria" says Geoff.
He will continue to campaign for support until Aylesford is granted the additional Police Community support/Community Warden support it needs, and has a right to expect.
Geoff Rowe