10 point plan for respect in Lambeth
March 2006

Charles Clarke, Home Secretary, with Cllr Steve Reed and the Princes action team

The Home Secretary Charles Clarke and Lambeth Labour Opposition Leader Steve Reed have co-signed a ten point action plan to improve community safety in Lambeth. The plan gives specific pledges to deal with thugs, kerb crawlers and drug tourists.

Residents of Lambeth consistently put crime and anti-social behaviour at the top of their list of concerns. If Labour re-gain control of Lambeth after the local elections in May, Labour Councillors will set about implementing the 10 point plan which also pledges faster graffiti clear up, improved street lighting and dedicated teams of police officers for every neighbourhood in Lambeth.

Earlier this month, London Mayor Ken Livingstone declared that “For a safer Lambeth, we need a Labour Council.” The co-signing of the 10 point plan further underlines Labour’s commitment, both at local and central Government level, to sort out crime and improve community safety.

The contrast between Labour’s focused action and the Lib Dems currently running Lambeth could not be more stark. Lambeth’s Lib Dems (along with their GLA colleagues) have opposed the extra investment which the Mayor has earmarked for the new police team. Lambeth’s Liberal Democrats have also issued just 42 anti-social behaviour orders over a four year period despite ongoing problems with crime and disorder. That contrasts with Labour Camden who have issued 203 ASBO’s and radically reduced the incidence of anti-social behaviour

Cllr Steve Reed signing the 10 point plan to help improve community safety

Charles Clarke MP, the Home Secretary, said:

“"By signing this 10 point plan with Steve I am making a promise to the people of Lambeth. Labour will implement these measures as a top priority if they win in May and that will help bring down the levels of crime and anti-social behaviour. "

"The fight against crime needs central Government, local Government, the local community and the police to work together. In Lambeth there is a missing link and that is a Lib Dem council that doesn't use the powers available to them and dosen't give enough support to the police."

Cllr Steve Reed, Leader of Lambeth Labour Group said:

"The Home Secretary is right to be concerned about how the council has gone soft on crime under the Lib Dems. When the Government grants tough new powers to deal with anti-social behaviour, the Lib Dems fail to use them. When the Mayor proposes new investment to pay for more police, they oppose it.”

“This ten point plan shows that Labour is serious about tackling crime. Whilst Labour has a strategy which will support the police, but Lib Dems are just plain soft on crime.”

Give respect, get respect in Lambeth
Labour’s ten point respect action plan for Lambeth

1. A permanent team of six uniformed officers led by a sergeant in every ward
2. Name and shame drug tourists and kerb crawlers
3. New street lighting across the borough.
4. Get tough on thugs using anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs)
5. Close down pubs and bars that persistently serve drunks and declare saturation zones where there are too many bars.
6. Clean up graffiti, litter and dumped rubbish within 24 hours.
7. Enforce tough sanctions against fly tippers.
8. A crackdown on noise nuisance day and night.
9. Regular neighbourhood spring-cleans.
10. Improved youth and sports facilities in Streatham, Brixton, Clapham and all our other town centres

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