Leader's update on York Road with residents

Dear Resident

Update on tackling crime and anti-social behaviour around York Road

I joined Council and Police officers on Friday 1 October at a meeting with residents where I updated them on the work we have been doing around the York Road area to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour. It was pleasing to hear the positive feedback from residents on the actions we have already taken in partnership with the police. We will continue to use your feedback in our joint work with the police to further crack down on the crime and anti-social behaviour issues around the York Road area.

You said

We need a more permanent police and council presence in the area.

We did

We set up an Enforcement Hub, stationed outside the station exit on York Road, to deter criminals and give residents the opportunity to speak face to face with police and Redbridge Enforcement Officers. Residents can visit the Hub on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm for now. 

You said

Needles are not being disposed of securely at clean needle exchange points.

We did

We are working with local pharmacies on needle waste to ensure that it is secured.

You said

A number of residents said that they feel unsafe on their local streets.

We did

To improve residents’ safety and confidence when out and about, we have maximised the power output of all local street lighting and have conducted a street lighting audit to see which areas would benefit from additional lighting and increased the number of patrols by our officers.

You said

The police and council reporting functions need improving.

We did

We are improving our reporting functions and have set up a dedicated York Road webpage where residents can stay up to date with our progress, report issues and find out about upcoming events. The local police are also are working with their colleagues in central command to improve 101 and online police reporting functions.

You said

More CCTV is needed to improve coverage of the area.

We did

Increased camera coverage in the area by nearly 50%, with this footage being accessible to the police. Our CCTV room will also be operating 24/7, allowing us and the police to respond to problems the moment they arise.

You said

Untidy front gardens serve as a place for criminals to offend.

We did

We have undertaken an environmental audit, resulting in over 40 actions for our teams to complete to improve the local area including litter picks and making sure residents clean untidy front gardens.

Our action hasn’t stopped there. The council and police have also been working to:

• Conduct high visibility, joint police and Redbridge Enforcement Officer patrols
• Increase the number of foot patrols by Redbridge Enforcement Officers and police teams
• Take enforcement action on over 300 premises across the local area with the aim of improving or shutting down properties that are used by criminals
• Establish a dedicated Achilles Heel police team to target identified problem individuals in the area and banning those who persistently offend
• Conduct a highways audit to look at possible enhancements to improve traffic flow across the area
• Improved local signage to make it clear that CCTV is in operation to deter criminals
• Review the local drug support interventions in the area including the Drug Needle Exchange points run by pharmacies
• Increase the level of drug and alcohol support across the area to help manage addiction

We will continue to do everything that we can to crack down on crime and reduce anti-social behaviour around York Road. Residents’ feedback is vital and helps us to target action so please continue to report any issues to the council and police, and visit our teams at the new Enforcement Hub to talk to them about any concerns.

We will also be hosting another meeting with residents on 19^th November 2021 at Redbridge Town Hall and we will provide further details in due course.

A residents’ forum will also be established to give you an opportunity to raise any concerns and provide further feedback on the actions we are taking. To register your interest in joining the forum, please email your contact details to keepsafe@redbridge.gov.uk.