This Council notes recent community concern about crime and disorder in Trafford. In particular concerns surrounding burglary and car theft, as well as crime and disorder involving young people, have been highlighted.

Council recognises the importance of strong public services in tackling and reducing crime. Cuts to children’s centres, youth services, social services, mental health services and support for community and voluntary groups are just some examples of the ongoing impact of austerity and indicative of the scale of services impacted since 2010. It is the view of this Council that cuts to such services have a significant detrimental effect on crime and public safety. Given such cuts to preventative and community services, Council also believes that national cuts to police budgets have been short-sighted and that the safety of residents is being placed at risk as a result.

This Council therefore calls for urgent investment at a national level to replace the 2000 police officers lost in Greater Manchester since 2010. The efforts of the Mayor of Greater Manchester to recruit additional police officers are welcomed, but are only required because of the shameful decision of the Government to pass on the burden of policing costs to local residents. Council further calls for the Prime Minister to make good on her promise that austerity has ended by adequately resourcing public services and local authorities in order to strengthen and safeguard communities and as a means of preventing crime and disorder. Only with a full suite of effective and well-resourced preventative and community services, and a properly funded and equipped police force, can we make our communities safer.

(Note: Prior to consideration of this item, the time being 8.56 p.m., the Mayor indicated that the mover and seconder of the Motion and amendment would have a maximum of 2 minutes each and that all other speeches would be limited to a maximum of one minute per speaker.)

It was moved and seconded that:

“This Council notes recent community concern about crime and disorder in Trafford. In particular concerns surrounding burglary and car theft, as well as crime and disorder involving young people, have been highlighted.

Council recognises the importance of strong public services in tackling and reducing crime. Cuts to children’s centres, youth services, social services, mental health services and support for community and voluntary groups are just some examples of the on-going impact of austerity and indicative of the scale of services impacted since 2010. It is the view of this Council that cuts to such services have a significant detrimental effect on crime and public safety. Given such cuts to preventative and community services, Council also believes that national cuts to police budgets have been short-sighted and that the safety of residents is being placed at risk as a result.

This Council therefore calls for urgent investment at a national level to replace the 2000 police officers lost in Greater Manchester since 2010. The efforts of the Mayor of Greater Manchester to recruit additional police officers are welcomed, but are only required because of the shameful decision of the Government to pass on the burden of policing costs to local residents. Council further calls for the Prime Minister to make good on her promise that austerity has ended by adequately resourcing public services and local authorities in order to strengthen and safeguard communities and as a means of preventing crime and disorder. Only with a full suite of effective and well-resourced preventative and community services, and a properly funded and equipped police force, can we make our communities safer.”

It was moved and seconded as an amendment that:

“This Council notes recent community concern about crime and disorder in Trafford. In particular, concerns surrounding burglary and car theft, as well as crime and disorder involving young people, have regrettably been highlighted.

Council notes that Trafford remains the safest place to live in Greater Manchester and restates its commitment of this continuing to be the case.

Council also notes that policing in Greater Manchester is the sole responsibility of the Mayor of Greater Manchester, who chooses to discharge those responsibilities through the Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, acting as the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Council recognises the importance of strong public services, including preventative services, and a strong economy with good employment opportunities, as being key to tackling and reducing crime.

Council considers that reductions to services will have had impact on crime and public safety, and further notes that the very foundation of strong public services requires a strong national economy to enable investment further in them, the alternative being the complete decimation of public services as has been seen elsewhere in country’s that fail to have sensible public spending policies.

Since 2010, the Government has worked hard to fix the public finances, and notes the sacrifices made by many in reaching this point. This has allowed greater flexibility in spending decisions and Council therefore wishes to see additional investment at a national level towards further police officers in Greater Manchester, and commits to lobby the Mayor of Greater Manchester to ensure Trafford receives its fair share of any new additional resources.

Council recognises that public services are paid for by the taxpayer and therefore pledges to work with the Government, Mayor of Greater Manchester and other agencies to ensure the resources required to keep our communities safe are in place.”

Following a debate on the matter, the amendment was put to the vote and declared lost. The substantive Motion was then put to the vote and declared carried.

RESOLVED: That this Council notes recent community concern about crime and disorder in Trafford. In particular concerns surrounding burglary and car theft, as well as crime and disorder involving young people, have been highlighted.

Council recognises the importance of strong public services in tackling and reducing crime. Cuts to children’s centres, youth services, social services, mental health services and support for community and voluntary groups are just some examples of the on-going impact of austerity and indicative of the scale of services impacted since 2010. It is the view of this Council that cuts to such services have a significant detrimental effect on crime and public safety. Given such cuts to preventative and community services, Council also believes that national cuts to police budgets have been short-sighted and that the safety of residents is being placed at risk as a result.

This Council therefore calls for urgent investment at a national level to replace the 2000 police officers lost in Greater Manchester since 2010. The efforts of the Mayor of Greater Manchester to recruit additional police officers are welcomed, but are only required because of the shameful decision of the Government to pass on the burden of policing costs to local residents. Council further calls for the Prime Minister to make good on her promise that austerity has ended by adequately resourcing public services and local authorities in order to strengthen and safeguard communities and as a means of preventing crime and disorder. Only with a full suite of effective and well-resourced preventative and community services, and a properly funded and equipped police force, can we make our communities safer.