Give communities the power to tackle crime

Speech by Nick Clegg on Thu 17th Apr 2008

Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg today called for communities to be given greater powers to tackle anti social behaviour and claim back their town centres.

While campaigning in the North West today, Nick Clegg will hold a private meeting with the police force in Warrington, where Gary Newlove was killed last year, and visit the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace which runs conflict resolution programmes for children affected by violence.

Commenting, Nick Clegg said:

"If we want people to feel safer in their communities it means giving local people the chance to take effective action to tackle crime.

"Liberal Democrat councils across Britain have already shown that if you give local communities real powers they can have a positive effect.

"If the Government focused more on chasing criminals than chasing headlines then we could see even greater progress in tackling crime across the country.

"We want it to be easier for local communities and councillors to close pubs and clubs that create problems for local people. The Government must also scrap the ID Card scheme and use the money to put more police on the beat."