Gen Kitchen MP: Partnership working is vital to tackle anti-social behaviour

It’s only right that I start my first column for the Northamptonshire Telegraph by thanking everyone who voted for me to return as the MP for Wellingborough & Rushden. I am determined to deliver on the promises we made during the election period and will work tirelessly to improve the lives of people in the local area.

The summer recess has allowed me to spend lots of time meeting constituents at my advice surgeries and attending local events. An issue that comes up regularly is anti-social behaviour and problems involving young people in the area.

Partnership working is vital to tackle this. I have met with the Town Clerk of Wellingborough to source practical measures that can be quickly implemented and in the coming months I will be consulting businesses through our town centre task force and arranging local meetings across the constituency. If you would like to get involved, please contact me.

One of the pledges I stood on at the by-election and again in July was to help tackle knife crime. This continues to be one of my priorities which is why I hosted an event in parliament with local campaigners Off the Streets earlier this year.

People should feel safe in their own homes, so I was pleased to see the King’s Speech include plans to strengthen community policing and give the police greater powers to deal with anti-social behaviour.

I will work closely with the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone to co-ordinate our response in the local area.

I understand how important youth services are in tackling crimes involving young people. My team have been busy planning a roundtable event in Rushden with key stakeholders to discuss ways we can work together on this issue.

The aim is that together we can come up with ways to engage young people and prevent them being drawn into crime. None of this is a quick fix but it is an important first step in making people feel more safe and secure.