CHILDREN at a Coventry primary school are too scared to play in a nearby park due to rising crime, a city MP has told the prime minister.
Coventry North East MP Colleen Fletcher spoke with pupils at St Elizabeth’s School in Foleshill last week.
She was concerned to hear many did not feel safe while playing in public places and sought a response from prime minister Theresa May.
At prime minister’s questions yesterday, Ms Fletcher said: “Last Friday, during Parliament Week, I visited St Elizabeth’s School in my constituency to meet the school’s council.
“The children told me that rising crime levels and falling police officer numbers have made them fearful of using and enjoying their local park.
“Will the Prime Minister tell the school council, which may be listening today, what strategy the government is deploying to ensure that all young people feel safe and are safe from crime on our streets and in our public spaces?
To which Ms May responded: “We want young people to feel secure if they are walking through the streets or gathering in a park with their friends.
“In looking at the concern that has been expressed about crime—in particular, I recognise the concern that has been expressed about knife crime and levels of knife crime—we need to tackle the issue in a number of different ways across the board.
“It is about ensuring that we have the right powers for the police and that we have the right system in the criminal justice system, but it is also about providing education for young people about the risks of carrying knives and about providing alternatives to those young people who are tempted to join gangs, because a lot of the crime that we see is related to gang activity.
“This is something that has to be addressed across the board, and I recognise the importance of doing that to ensure that young people have the security, safety and confidence that they need.”
Crime rose in Coventry by 12 per cent in 2017/18 and knife crime in particular has been hitting the headlines.
As we reported, in the last five years knife crime in the city has nearly doubled.
The number of incidents in the city has increased from 164 in 2012/13 to 307 by the end of 2017/18.
Evidence of drugs and weapons is routinely uncovered in parks in the city, sparking concerns among residents.
A number of prominent councillors, including Pervez Akhtar, has addressed the council with concerns about increasing crime and falling numbers of front-line policemen.
