Everyone deserves to feel safe where they live. That’s why I’m working with North Wales Police to ensure Wrexham has its share of new police officers and increased budgets. Already, the UK Government is delivering on this: for the current year (2021-22) the Government has announced that it will increase Police budgets in North Wales by £9.6 million. This will also fund the addition of 76 new Police officers in Wales.
I also know many residents are concerned about antisocial behaviour and crime in our town centre as we emerge from the pandemic. That is why I called on the Senedd Member, the Police and the Council to meet with me to discuss these concerns. I am pleased that the Police and the Council attended roundtable, providing an excellent opportunity to discuss the issues and the strategies in place.
Although the Senedd Member denied that Wrexham faced problems with crime and antisocial behaviour, the Police have now accepted there are concerns and have acted: dispersal orders have been issued recently and local Police teams are taking a proactive approach to managing antisocial behaviour.
To tackle some of the local Policing issues in Wrexham, I am pleased that North Wales Police have also received over £500,000 from UK Government's 'Safer Streets' and 'Safety of Women and Girls at Night (SWAN)' funds. This will go towards a number of initiatives to make our town centre safer, these include: additional street lighting and CCTV, the opening of a welfare centre in the town on Friday and Saturday nights, and increased Police patrols. I will continue to support Wrexham Police with this initiative and have been out with the Police to see it firsthand.
I am also working with HMP Berwyn to reduce reoffending and create employment opportunities to get people out of the cycle of crime. In partnership with the prison, businesses leaders in Wrexham and individuals from with experience from similar projects, I will be part of an Advisory Board to help support employment opportunities for individuals as they leave HMP Berwyn.