I know that, for many readers, tackling crime is at the top of the agenda. I share this view. That is why I was pleased with last week’s news that the Government has nationally recruited more than 20,000 new Police Officers – delivering on a commitment made in 2019.
That means that Sussex Police has recruited an additional 679 Police Officers since 2018 and the force now has more officers on our streets than 10 years ago.
This positive news has meant that we’ve seen neighbourhood crime fall by 33% since 2019 – a bigger reduction than the national average – and an expansion of our local Rural Crime Team who are expert specialists in tackling the crime that impacts our more isolated countryside communities.
This news comes only a few weeks after the Government announced its new Anti-social Behaviour Action Plan. This will see the people who commit crimes such as graffiti and criminal damage serving visible community service within 48 hours of prosecution. I will keep sharing the experience of residents in my future meetings with Ministers and the Police as we continue to take a tough stance on crime.
This long bank holiday weekend, why not take the opportunity to visit your local garden centre. Our horticultural industry is a crucial part of the economy here in West Sussex. It backs thousands of livelihoods with jobs and business, it provides garden centres for us all to enjoy on weekends and plays its part in conserving our environment. This week, I was pleased to meet with James Barnes, the Chairman of the Horticultural Society, to hear more about how the sector continues to grow and prosper in West Sussex. Our conversation focused on the sector’s ongoing transition to peat-free production, recent successful recruitment drives and the importance of our local garden centres to wellbeing and tourism.
