During a debate in Parliament, Reigate MP Rebecca Paul took the opportunity to thank Surrey Police and to commend the Safer Redhill initiative and the work of East Surrey YMCA, highlighting their achievements in reducing crime and anti-social behaviour in the town.
During a debate in Parliament, Reigate MP Rebecca Paul took the opportunity to thank Surrey Police and to commend the Safer Redhill initiative and the work of East Surrey YMCA, highlighting their achievements in reducing crime and anti-social behaviour in the town.
Highlighting Redhill’s status as the cultural epicentre for the local area, and promoting all that the town has to offer, Rebecca outlined the considerable successes of the Safer Redhill initiative and the crucial support of the East Surrey YMCA in reducing crime and anti-social behaviour, which has been increasing in the town in recent years.
Describing Safer Redhill’s successes, Rebecca said:
“To address the real issues faced, the Safer Redhill initiative was established. That is a partnership between Surrey police, the office of the police and crime commissioner, Reigate and Banstead borough council and East Surrey YMCA to cut crime and foster pride in the town. The project adopts the College of Policing’s “Clear, hold, build” framework, which is a three-stage approach where offenders are cleared from the area, and then partners work together to put in place interventions to keep it that way.
“From drug operations at Redhill train station to plain-clothes officers out at night looking for suspicious behaviour, huge amounts have been achieved as part of the Safer Redhill initiative. There have been 155 arrests, with a combined prison time of 25 years for local offenders, 86 drug seizures—including 10 kg of suspected cocaine—£89,000 of cash recovered and weapons taken off the streets. I take this opportunity to thank Surrey police, especially Jon Vale, the borough commander, and Lisa Townsend, the police and crime commissioner, for ensuring that Redhill got the additional police focus it needed at the right time.”
Highlighting the work of East Surrey YMCA, Rebecca proceeded to say:
“However, making Redhill safer is not all about police action; it is also about prevention, and that is where East Surrey YMCA has come in. With its qualified youth workers, it has been supporting local young people at risk of offending or becoming NEET—not in education, employment or training—by giving them the support they need and helping them to thrive and flourish. With their Y bus, the YMCA has been getting out and about in Redhill to engage with the young people, and I thank it for the important part it has played in making Redhill safer and ensuring a more positive future for the next generation.”
Paying tribute to the police, the local council and to the charity sector, Rebecca said:
“Safer Redhill is an inspiring example of what can be achieved by the police, the local council and the charity sector working hand in hand, with all partners bringing different skills and expertise to the table, but with the same ultimate goal. I thank and pay tribute to everyone involved. It is wonderful to see the local community starting to feel safer in the town centre and businesses feeling more confident about their future in Redhill.”
