Give us more bobbies on the beat, says Wednesfield councillor
West Midlands Police should be given more funding by central government to increase the number of bobbies on the beat, according to a councillor.
Labour’s councillor for Wednesfield North representative, Councillor Phil Bateman made the impassioned plea at a meeting of Wolverhampton’s full council.
He put forward a motion for more funding from the Government and at the meeting, where it was passed by the council.
During the setting out of the motion, Councillor Bateman said: “The top cop of West Midlands Police has said we are at risk of being in a perilous situation if nothing is done to invest more in our police force.
“These are the people that keep our country safe and protect us from crime including the danger presented by terrorism.
“During the summer, I went out in my ward and found that for many days in the week I could not spot a community police officer.
“That is not their fault, that is the fault of cuts to their budgets which has meant that the thin blue line is getting more stretched and stretched every day.
“It’s been said that the number of crimes are decreasing. But I say that it is a fact that people are not able to report crimes in their neighbourhood because they can’t get through to anyone, they can’t access stations because they’ve all closed, and they can’t see a bobby on the beat.
“Residents want reassurance from us as councillors that we are doing what we can to press the Government for change and more investment.”
The motion was seconded by Councillor Daniel Warren, Labour councillor for Bushbury North, who said: “I agree with Councillor Bateman 100 per cent.
“My ward has seen a drop in the number of community police officers in the last ten years. Not only this, but they are expected to cover not just my ward, but that of Oxley, Low Hill and Fallings Park.”
Opposition leader, Conservative Councillor Wendy Thompson, said: “I agree. But I agree on a rational level, not an emotional one and this is not necessarily the right forum to raise this point. I suggest that Councillor Bateman raise this with the three Labour MPs in the city to see what they have done to tackle this issue.”
