Ribble Valley Labour Party has hit out at local Tories who refuse to accept the blame for their failed policies on policing in the Ribble Valley.
An article published on Ribble Valley Conservatives’ website claims there has been an increase in crime of 31% over the last 12 months – much of it violent crime. Local businessman and former Councillor Kevin Horkin says “The Ribble Valley has become a much more violent place.”
And in the same article Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans says the loss of police officers on the streets “…is directly related to the rise in crime.”
Meanwhile chief number-cruncher and Tory Councillor Ged Mirfin can’t understand why there have been 8750 calls to the police but only 2255 recorded crimes in the same period. He demands an explanation!
Labour’s Clitheroe & District branch vice-chair David Waters said “Cllr Mirfin shows he has no understanding of the demands on the police service. Most calls to the police are not about a crime, which is why there is such a disparity in the figures he quotes.”
David continued “Once again we see local senior conservatives talking about the lack of police officers on our streets and the resulting rise in crime and anti-social behaviour. And once again they refuse to accept that they are the cause of the problem.
“In the last three General Elections they campaigned on a programme of massive cuts in public expenditure and that is exactly what they have delivered. Did they seriously believe people in the Ribble Valley would not be affected by the cuts?
“Since 2010 the Conservative Government, supported by Nigel Evans, has cut funding to Lancashire police and as a result the number of police officers has reduced from 3649 to 2787. That’s 862 fewer police officers in Lancashire than there were in 2010. In fact, there were more police officers in the 1970s than there are now. That is a disgrace and the Conservatives should be ashamed of themselves.
“In 2015 they were warned by the outgoing Chief Constable Steve Finnigan and PCC Clive Grunshaw about the consequences of their cuts. The Tories said they were ‘scaremongering’.”
David added “I see Cllr Mirfin says the Ribble Valley Conservatives will be making police and crime a key part of its election manifesto for 2019. I say to him bring it on – we are ready and eager for the debate and we’ll make sure people know the truth about your failed policies.”
