Crime and safety | Richard Burden

Apr 20

Northfield Community Response

Community leaders in Northfield have joined together to co-author a response to the tragic events last week (Friday 24th).

Read it here: Northfield community response – 20 April 2015

Feb 5

Join the fight to save Birmingham’s School Crossing Patrols

Every child should be able to walk, cycle or scoot to school safely. But far too often our roads are just too dangerous for them to do so. Two thirds of primary school children think streets in their community are unsafe for walking and cycling. And no wonder. Figures released today show that in 2014 the number of children killed or seriously injured rose for the first time in 20 years.

So it’s no suppose that proposed cuts to School Crossing Patrols across Birmingham have generated a lot of anger and fear among parents, children, school staff and of course the school crossing staff themselves.

A Good News Story…

Lots of residents get in touch with me about anti-social behaviour problems. This can cover anything that reduces local people’s quality of life and causes them distress – and it can vary from abandoned vehicles and litter, to noisy and rowdy behaviour outside your home. These things are not minor nuisances – I know they often leave people feeling completely helpless and desperate.

I regularly liaise with the Police, Birmingham City Council’s Housing Team, the Birmingham Safer Communities Partnership and Environmental Health to tackle these issues. I’ve helped hundreds of people with anti-social behaviour (ASB) problems in the past and I know it can take time, patience and determination to solve them. So it was great to be contacted about a “good news” story about ASB.

Fly Tipping in Longbridge

This alleyway in Longbridge became a dumping ground for old fridges and a lot of other things and was a safety hazard, particularly for local children. I was pleased to work with local Labour Councillor, Andy Cartwright to get it cleared this week. You can see some “before and after” photos here.

Fly-tipping of rubbish, whether of old fridges, household rubbish or garden waste is something which rightly angers local people. They want the Council to keep the streets clean and as the local MP, I agree with them about that. I am regularly on to Birmingham Council to clear away the piles of rubbish that too often litter our roads. For months now, I’ve also calling for change to policies -like garden waste collection charges- which end up aggravating the problem of dumped rubbish.

People are right to want the Council to do its job better and quicker. People are also right to be angered by those who object when others dump rubbish, but who think it doesn’t count if they do it themselves. Fly-tipping is anti-social behaviour. End of.

Oct 25