Louie French, Member of Parliament for Old Bexley and Sidcup, attended a positive meeting last week with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley.
At the meeting, Louie raised concerns over knife crime, burglaries, vehicle theft and local frustrations over the Mayor of London's decision to close the front counter at Sidcup Police Station.
New figures from the police have also highlighted Just Stop Oil protests cost the police/taxpayers £3.5m last month and the equivalent of approx. 11,000 police shifts were lost.
These dangerous protests are antagonising the public against the climate cause and wasting vital resources, especially when local police teams are taken away from solving crimes in Bexley and are sent to central London.
Louie has supported new laws in Parliament that provide the police greater powers to stop these dangerous protests, with most protestors now removed from roads in 10-15 minutes. But Louie understands the frustration people feel and will keep pushing for this disruption to be ended quicker. Louie also thinks that it is disgraceful that Labour not only voted against these measures but they have also accepted £1.5m in donations from one of the main Just Stop Oil backers. You have to question again who's side they are on!
On a more positive note, Sir Mark has committed to reviewing the front counter closure and Louie's calls for further resources on the ground in Bexley. So please don’t miss your chance to have your say via the below short survey:
www.louiefrench.org.uk/news/community-safety-and-future-policing-marlowe-house-have-your-say
