Police commissioner defends plan to shut down Wellingborough alleyways

Northamptonshire’s Police Commissioner has defended a proposal to shut down Victorian alleys being used as criminal getaway routes in Wellingborough but says ultimately it will be residents who decide whether the measure goes ahead.

This week the proposal to gate up a network of alleyways in a residential area close to the town centre came in for some criticism from long-standing councillor Andrew Scarborough who said Northants police should focus on catching burglars instead of closing down pedestrian routes.

Northamptonshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold had applied to the home office for funding to £540,000 to carry out the scheme but says he thinks it is so important that he has set aside £750,00 of funds to do the project even if the funding does not come through.

Commissioner Mold said: “At the end of 2019, the Home Office offered Police and Crime Commissioners the opportunity to bid for a share of the Safer Streets Fund, a grant to fund the implementation of physical crime prevention measures that prevent acquisitive crime such as burglary.

“My vision and aim is always to make Northamptonshire a safer place and of course, I would apply for any extra money to support making the residents of this county safer. I asked the Force to crack down on burglary last year and through hard work, they have locked up hundreds of burglars and reduced burglary by more than a third – but people still need to take responsibility for the security of their own home and property.

“This scheme will make the residents of Castle Ward safer with crime prevention measures that are proven to work in the long term. We are asking for Home Office support but I believe it is so important, that I have set aside up to £750,000 to carry out this and projects in Northampton and Kettering if we do not receive funding. We will be working hard to explain that clearly to people if the project goes ahead but at the end of the day, it will be up to the residents if they want it to go ahead or not.”

The total home office bid is for £1.3m which includes two other crime safety projects in Northampton and Kettering.

The commissioner said alleyways closure schemes has been proven to reduce burglary by 40 percent and is seen as best practice in crime prevention.

Half of the alleyways proposed for closure are publicly owned and the rest privately.

Residents receive keys or access codes so that entry to their property is not affected. The scheme also covers CCTV and crime prevention measures which would include financial support to improve home security.

A six-week consultation by Wellingborough Council on the proposal will start next month.

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