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Boris Johnson: Launch of 2012 Crime Manifesto

Test Test — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 05:32:35 -0400

BackBoris2012.com
Press Release
2nd April 2012

Boris Johnson today launched the crime chapter of his 2012 manifesto.

‘In 2008 I said I would take a personal lead in fighting crime and since then I have lived up to my word.

I have twice been out on dawn raids, twice I have wielded the door-smasher and entered premises where the police had reason to believe they would find a criminal suspect.

But on that day – elsewhere in the city hundreds of other arrests were made. Hundreds of people were stopped from making the lives of others a misery.

It was thanks to the work of the Safer Neighbourhood Teams, who had identified the thugs and the drug dealers and the gangsters, that Operation Hawk was a success. It shows that if you invest in neighbourhood policing you can begin to win the war on crime even in tough economic times.

I am proud of the work of the Met in the last four years because in the teeth of a grim recession and against the background of rising unemployment they have continued to bring crime down almost 11 per cent overall with the Tube 20 per cent safer, the buses 30 per cent safer, robberies on buses down by almost a half, and the murder rate down by a quarter.

And don’t think this is all just the protraction of trends that were taking place over the last 10 years or so. I genuinely believe we have made a difference in our efforts to make public transport safer with the alcohol ban and the extra 697 officers.

And I would remind you too that in the eight years before I became mayor, public disorder on the Tube went up by 521 per cent and violent crime went up by 56 per cent.

So on many of the key indicators, crime in London is going in the right direction and yet there is no earthly use in my claiming that we have the problem cracked.

We need to go further and faster and that is why I am today announcing a series of measures – some of them new to London – to tackle crime across the board.

It is not good enough for us to say that domestic violence and rape figures have been increasing because of an increased willingness to report it.

We need to intensify our work. Not only guaranteeing all four rape crisis centres – three of which I helped to set up – but establishing a new pan-London approach to the provision of independent domestic violence advisers, so that we can give women the confidence and help they need to bring the perpetrators to justice and increase the currently lamentable conviction rate.

And since alcohol is one of the biggest associated causes of domestic violence, we will go ahead in London with the sobriety testing that has been shown in America to reduce reoffending and to get violent drunks off the booze.

We will now step up the war on gangs – the 5,000 young men who are responsible for so much crime and so much needless apprehension. And when I say a war I mean that 1,000 police officers are now dedicated to persuading them of a simple truth that they can either choose a more sensible lifestyle or have the police in their face 24/7.

And we will have a new sentencing unit in the MOPC to make sure that the punishment fits the crime. We are also providing the alternatives, working with businesses to take on ex-offenders, expanding apprenticeship schemes and in the next four years I want to massively expand our work on mentoring on literacy and on engagement with young people, because if the riots taught us anything it is that too many young Londoners are being caught up in a culture that is at once aggressive, nihilistic and materialistic.

I want to make sure that the kids who are now five can read by the time they are 11. I want to make sure that the kids who are now 11 are not caught up in gangs but are given better alternatives by the time they are 15.

We need to bring together all the agencies involved in the lives of these young people but above all we need to recognise the role of the local Safer Neighbourhood Teams in spotting the problem kids and the problem families. That is why in the next term I want to strengthen very substantially our Safer Neighbourhood Teams.

We will have new Safer Neighbourhood Boards amalgamating the Community Police engagement Groups and the Met’s Independent Advisory Group community engagement with places reserved for councillors and young people. They will monitor complaints and they will oversee community payback schemes so that local people can see criminals making reparations in their own neighbourhood. Working with Bernard Hogan Howe we will increase significantly the size of every Safer Neighbourhood Team so that there will be up to three more PCSOs and three more Specials in London’s 624 safer neighbourhood wards.

By detaching officers from other units, the Commissioner believes we can have about 2,000 more police out there on frontline policing making our neighbourhoods safer. I believe that this is what Londoners want.

We have made great progress over the last few years.

We have secured the funding to keep police numbers high. I am putting an extra 1,000 police officers on our streets and I will maintain that through the remainder of the CSR period.

We have put more officers out on patrol with thousands more every year as a result of single patrol.

We are continuing to bring crime down and now I want a mandate from Londoners to bring it down further to bolster our Safer Neighbourhood Teams and to make London one of the safest big cities on earth.’

Notes to Editor:

Link to crime manifesto chapter www.backboris2012.com/crime

Boris Johnson’s 9 point plan for a Greater London:

1. Cutting waste at City Hall – freeing up £3.5 billion for services

2. Putting £445 back in your pocket by freezing the Mayoral share of council tax

3. Creating 200,000 new jobs over the next four years

4. Making our streets and homes safer with1,000 more police on the beat

5. Restoring 300 acres of green space and planting 20,000 street trees

6. Investing £221 million to transform local high streets, supporting small businesses

7. Ensuring a true Olympic legacy – 11,000 new homes and 10,000 new jobs

8. Reducing Tube delays 30% by 2015. Building Crossrail and orbital rail to link our suburbs. Extending the Bike Hire scheme

9. Securing a better deal for London from No 10

Boris: I'm putting more police on the streets

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 07:10:38 -0500

Boris Johnson welcomed over 140 new Met Police recruits at the training centre in Richmond who are among the 1,000 extra police officers the Mayor is putting on London’s streets. This comes after Boris invested an extra £42million in the Met last year.

When Boris was elected in May 2008, crime was one of London’s most pressing issues, with violent crime rising 11.2% under Ken Livingstone. Boris promised Londoners he would get more police on the streets and cut crime. In May 2008 he inherited 31,398 police officers, by the end of March there will be 32,320. He has now promised to keep police numbers high through a second term, after he secured £90million from central Government following constructive negotiations.

And the fact Boris has delivered on his promise to keep police numbers high has paid off for Londoners, whose city is the safest it has been for ten years. Under Boris:

Crime has fallen 10.6%, with youth violence down 13.8% and robberies down by 16.7%;
Over 11,000 guns and knives have been taken off the streets;
The murder rate has fallen by over a quarter and is now at its lowest level since 1978.
Bus crime is down 30%

It is a critical time and we cannot put this progress at risk. Tackling crime and keeping police on the streets is a top priority for Mayor Johnson and thanks to his efficiency drive and negotiations with central government he can ensure police numbers will remain high through a second term.

Boris Johnson said, “London needs high levels of police officers on hand to manage the many unique challenges we face in the capital. With careful negotiation and budgeting we have managed to buck the national trend and continue to recruit more uniformed fully warranted police officers.

“By the end of my mayoralty we will have 32,320 full-time warranted police officers - significantly more than I inherited, which is great news for the on going fight against crime.”

The cycle revolution continues

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:36:10 -0500

Boris Johnson’s cycle revolution continues. Today, TfL announced twenty-six grants of up to £5,000 available to London-based cycling projects that promote cycling in the capital.

The grants are part of the TfL funded Community Cycling Fund for London (CCFL) scheme.

The CCFL is accepting applications from all types of organisations, including schools, residents’ associations, mental health charities and youth groups.

The Community Cycling Fund is just one of the many things Mayor Johnson is doing to make London a great city for cyclists. Boris has:

Introduced the new Barclays Cycle Hire scheme that has seen 6,000 bicycles at over 400 docking stations across nine boroughs. In the first six months 10 million kilometres have been cycled over the course of two and half million journeys;
Delivered Cycle Superhighways. These are radial routes from outer London into the centre, giving cyclists a fast route into town;
Overseen a record investment of more than £200 million in cycling schemes, including the provision of cycle safety programmes, new cycle lanes, advance stop lines at traffic junctions across London and blind spot safety mirrors at key locations across Barclays Superhighways.

Mayor Boris Johnson said, “Londoners are taking to two wheels in the thousands and key to that is helping them to enjoy the benefits of cycling and cycling safely.

“This funding provides massive support to budding cyclists in local communities, and helps to nurture the grass roots of cycling in our great city.”

Boris Pledges to Extend the Freedom Pass

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:08:25 -0500

Boris Johnson today promised, if re-elected, to extend the Freedom Pass to Londoners aged 60 years or older, rewarding those who have worked hard, paid their taxes and done the right thing throughout their life.

The Mayor’s pledge reverses the decision by Ken Livingstone’s Labour Party to increase the age at which Londoners qualify, meaning any Londoner aged 60 or older will be entitled to free travel on buses, Tube, DLR and London Overground anywhere, anytime, anyplace in Greater London.

Over 1 million Londoners will benefit from the Freedom Pass being extended, according to the latest official figures (see chart below), and comes after Boris delivered on his pledge in 2008 to extend the Freedom Pass to 24 hours a day and to war veterans.

Boris Johnson said: “I said that Londoners over 60 would get the 24-hour Freedom Pass and I’m a man who keeps my promises. Hard-working people who have done the right thing and paid their taxes in expectation of free travel on retirement are right to be annoyed at those who seek to take that away.

“I’m conscious that my promise of free travel has been eroded by a decision from Ken Livingstone’s Labour party to raise the age where Londoners qualify for the Freedom Pass.

“So today I renew my pledge to elderly Londoners that they will get free travel from the age of 60. I am confident that ongoing savings will enable me to deliver this for the next mayoral term.

“Today’s promise means that any Londoner over 60 can ride the bus, Tube, DLR and London Overground any time, any place and anywhere in Greater London as long as I am in City Hall.”

Number of people aged 60 or over, or will turn 60, by the end of this year: [1]

Ken Livingstone’s Labour Party announced that concessionary travel eligibility would be aligned with changes in the state pension age. This meant that anyone turning 60 on 6 April 2010 or after was no longer entitled to the freedom pass on reaching that age. [2] The decision was announced by Labour chancellor Alistair Darling in his Pre-budget report in December 2009. [3]

[1] ONS, Population Estimates Borough, June 2011, http://data.london.gov.uk/datastore/package/office-national-statistics-ons-population-estimates-borough

[2] Transportforall.co.uk, 15 April 2010, http://www.transportforall.co.uk/news/changes-to-older-person-s-freedom-pass-eligibility

[3] HM Treasury, Pre-budget report, December 2009, http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/prebud_pbr09_index.htm

Boris: Confidence in London just keeps growing

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:40:03 -0500

Following last week’s CBI report on a positive outlook on economic recovery for London, Mayor Boris Johnson today highlighted more good news for the capital – several major firms have pledged investment for London.

Global professional services group Harvey Nash announced its decision to retain London as its global headquarters after considering New York, Dublin, Zurich and Hong Kong as potential new bases. And in another exciting win for London, US insurance giant Aon will be moving their headquarters to the capital from Chicago, an indication of the strength of London’s reputation as a centre of the global insurance and reinsurance industry.

Fostering investment in London’s economy is a top priority for Boris Johnson and it shows. Also this week, Property giant Land Securities’ deal with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board to redevelop Victoria Circle in Victoria worth £1 billion went through. The new development will create a booming residential, office and retail quarter that will deliver hundreds of jobs.

And ahead of London Fashion Week, the Mayor has announced a £2.3 million cash boost for London’s creative industries – an industry worth £19 billion to the economy. The grant will be channeled into the British Fashion Council, Film London and London Design Festival. The industry as a whole employs 380,000 people and the cash infusion will help them to attract investment from within the UK and abroad.

These recent wins for London bolster Boris Johnson’s marked progress in growing the capital’s economy, creating jobs and opportunities for Londoners. During his four years in office Boris has:

Boosted growth through investment in transport, bringing 14,000 jobs to London via the Crossrail and creating 18,725 jobs through the Tube upgrades;
London 2012 expects to directly award £6 billion worth of contracts, generating tens of thousands of supply chain contract opportunities;
Already delivered 40,000 apprenticeships in just over a year, making London the fastest growing UK region for apprenticeship opportunities.

Speaking on his unwavering confidence in London, Mayor Boris Johnson said, “Despite difficult times London is attracting investment from across the world and remains a formidable force in an ever competitive global marketplace. It is clear that business confidence in our city and its economy is strong at all levels and as we look towards the most momentous year in living memory we must do all we can to capitalise on this.

“This summer, when we welcome the world for the 2012 Games and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, I believe we have the perfect opportunity to cement our reputation at home and abroad as the number one place to do business.”

London's orbital railway a step closer to completion

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:09:16 -0500

The final track on the London Overground orbital network was completed today as Mayor Johnson tightened a clip fixing the last rail in place on the 1.3km section of new railway that will connect London Overground to existing track leading to Clapham Junction.

The creation of the orbital network means much more than extended train service – it means more jobs. 56 new jobs will be created in the running of the new service on top of the 1,000 that were created in order to design and build the line. The new line will also put 125,000 more jobs within an hour’s travel from south- east London stations.

Two million passengers per week already use London Overground, which currently connects north, west and east London. The completion of the track-laying phase of the orbital London Overground network brings frequent and reliable service between Surrey Quays in the south- east and Clapham Junction in the south-west one step closer.

Mayor Johnson fought hard for this extension. £60 million of the funding for the £75 million link was secured through the Mayor’s tough negotiations with the Department of Transport in 2009. The new link is an integral element of Boris Johnson’s £22 billion investment in London transport.

Speaking on the benefits of the extension, Mayor Johnson said, “London Overground is already one of the most reliable and popular railways in the UK, and South London deserves a piece of that.

“Thanks to the neo-Victorian levels of investment we are putting into London’s infrastructure, the people of Southwark, Lewisham, Lambeth and Wandsworth will be linked, for the first time, to every other corner of this city; and have access to a turn up and go metro service that will bring jobs, opportunities, growth and prosperity to this previously under served area of London.”

New trams in Croydon creating jobs and supporting economic growth

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Six new trams, funded by Boris Johnson, will join the Tramlink fleet by the end of this month. The investment by the Mayor will create 20 new jobs, grow the local economy and help reduce congestion and increase the frequency of services in this critical part of London.

As part of Boris’s record investment in London’s transport infrastructure, the £16.3million project represents an important part of the wider regeneration of Croydon being supported by the Mayor. With an additional £23million investment from the Mayor’s Fund helping to transform Croydon following the devastation from last summer’s riots, Boris is making sure local high streets and small businesses get back on their feet.

Boris Johnson said: “My focus in Croydon is on delivering the long term improvements that will support jobs and help make it a better, more prosperous place to live, work and invest in. Trams are the cornerstone of the local economy and the superb new additions to our fleet will help deliver the better and more frequent services that local people deserve.”

Once all six trams are in service, passengers will benefit from up to four extra trams an hour as well as new direct service between Therapia Lane and Elmers End. The new trams are air-conditioned, more spacious and equipped with better accessibility and safety features. Additionally, the record investment in the capital’s transport infrastructure will also bring improvements to the Wimbledon branch by the end of the year.

Growing London’s economy and creating jobs with £2.7m regeneration boost in Hillingdon

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:35:41 -0500

Boris Johnson today announced plans to invest over £2.7 million to help rejuvenate two key town centres in Hillingdon, driving economic growth and creating jobs by revitalising local high street shops and small businesses.

The investment will be used to deliver improvements in the Ruislip Manor and Northwood Hills areas and are set to deliver economic and social benefits. Funding includes provisions for new markets, cultural and community events, retail and business support, and the promotion of apprenticeships within local firms.

As part of the Mayor’s programme for improving town centres across the capital, the Hillingdon projects demonstrate Boris’s commitment to growing London’s economy by investing in local town centres and high streets, creating new jobs and opportunities for London’s shops and small businesses.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “Town centres are the lifeblood of our communities and we have to do all we can to ensure they can prosper and grow. By making some simple but vital improvements to how our town centres look and feel, we can help to kick-start growth and ensure they have the bright future they deserve. I look forward to seeing these planned improvements building a positive buzz and driving investment and job creation in the borough.”

The Hillingdon funding will help bring improvements such as new signage, street furniture, and better street lighting, as well as the planting of new trees. Planning also includes enhanced provisions for cyclists and a redesigned road layout to ensure better traffic flow and access for buses.

Sobriety scheme targets serious drink-related offences

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:37:34 -0500

Mayor Boris Johnson has announced that London will be the first city in England to trial a new scheme to tackle alcohol related crime. The new ‘sobriety’ scheme,will take on people convicted of serious drink-related offences such as assault and criminal damage.

The £400,000 pilot scheme will give people convicted of serious alcohol-related crime the option to wear bracelets that measure alcohol levels in their blood as an alternative to a jail sentence. The electronic tags will be linked to a central computer and if it detects that they have been drinking, offenders will face being sent to prison. The pilot scheme will be trialed with 300 offenders this summer. Previously, the scheme was successful in the US state of South Dakota where 99.3% of offenders’ tests were negative and the prison population fell by 14%.

In 2010/11 nearly half of all violent crime (almost 1 million crimes) was fuelled by alcohol. A Greater London Authority telephone survey of over 1,000 Londoners found that 69% of those surveyed want more done to tackle alcohol-related crime.

During his four years in office, Mayor Johnson has made serious inroads in tackling crime. He has cut crime by 10.6% and bus crime is down over 30%. Despite these successes, alcohol-related crime remains a serious problem and this pilot scheme is the next step in his aggressive fight against crime in London.

On the introduction of the scheme, Mayor Boris Johnson said, “Tackling crime is a top priority in this city and we must use every innovation at our disposal to keep making London safer.”

Boris on target to reach his 100,000 apprenticeship goal by end of 2012

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:30:49 -0500

Boris Johnson is more than halfway to delivering his goal of 100,000 apprenticeships in London by the end of 2012.

The Mayor announced that 54,470 apprenticeships have already been created in the capital and his campaign to reach 100,000 received a further boost today from retailers Westfield, with their pledge to create 200 apprenticeships across their two London locations.

Transport for London has created 2,209 apprenticeships since April 2009 and is on track hit its target of 2,550, while rail maintenance company Tube Lines confirmed it will hire an additional 22 engineering apprentices and Crossrail has announced that it has 14 apprenticeships set to begin.

London’s jobs market is more competitive than ever - particularly for young people who can find it tough to secure even entry-level positions. Apprenticeship and graduate trainee schemes can help drive down youth unemployment by giving young people the opportunities to develop the skills they need to enter the jobs market.

Working with the National Apprenticeship Service, which matches would-be apprentices with employers, the Mayor is committed to growing London's economy and helping young people gain the skills they need for success.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “There are thousands of enthusiastic young Londoners who are crying out for the opportunity to become apprentices and we must help them to realise their ambitions.

"We have had huge success with our campaign so far, but we have to work harder to convince more businesses about why apprentices are such fantastic assets to invest in. A motivated and skilled workforce is essential for the economy’s health and by opening up their doors to apprentices London’s firms can play their part in helping to beat the downturn.”