Anti-social behaviour 'will not be tolerated' - MP

An MP said anti-social behaviour "cannot and will not be tolerated" after more than 900 incidents were recorded in her constituency in 2023.

Alice Macdonald, Labour MP for Norwich North, held a debate in Westminster Hall on Tuesday regarding anti-social behaviour in the East of England, while welcoming the government's Police and Crime Bill.

During 2023, she said, about 8,800 incidents of anti-social behaviour were recorded across Norfolk, with 948 of these in her own constituency.

She said: "Nothing has the power to disturb our experiences like anti-social behaviour; it can make people's lives a living hell."

Ms Macdonald said anti-social behaviour could come in many forms, including fly-tipping, nuisance neighbours, loud music and off-road bikes.

During her speech, she said Norwich City Council had started to lock gates again in parks and cemeteries after receiving reports of drug use and vandalism.

One of the parks affected, Waterloo Park in Norwich, is home to The Feed, a social enterprise cafe that has experienced issues including broken glass and its benches being thrown in fountains.

While the charity is unable to fund CCTV, Ms Macdonald said she would be backing a call for this.

She said where derelict sites had not been secured properly, they had become "hotspots".

In January, 17 fire appliances were called to a fire at the derelict Van-Dal shoe factory on Dibden Road, Norwich.

It took firefighters up to four hours to get the blaze under control.

Ms Macdonald said: "Norwich is a great place to live, and indeed we have seen communities rally round to support each other after anti-social behaviour, but a small minority can cause misery for many."

She said Norfolk Police was expected to receive about £235m in funding this year, but that with more resources, would be able to tackle such issues.

"Anti-social behaviour is a blight on all our communities. It cannot and will not be tolerated," she said.

"I applaud the government's actions in taking efforts and action to tackle it and put more police on our streets, but there is, of course a long way to go."

Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson said the government was working with the National Police Chiefs' Council on a rural crime strategy.

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