The Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Theresa May MP, met Cllr Ranil Jayawardena and local police in Yateley today to discuss law and order issues in North East Hampshire.
Local police told Mrs May and Cllr Jayawardena about the various challenges they are tackling – from rural theft to drugs in schools. They also discussed the Government’s reforms to cut the red tape which holds the police back from catching criminals and protecting the public.
As Home Secretary, Mrs May has scrapped the many top-down targets which Labour used to set the police, and set them a single objective – to cut crime. During their visit, Mrs May and Cllr Jayawardena also had a demonstration of the latest body worn video equipment which is designed to help police provide stronger evidence to the courts and ensure that more criminals are convicted.
Cllr Ranil Jayawardena, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for North East Hampshire, said: “The police have a really difficult job to do. It was troubling to hear how someone can quickly someone can get sucked in from low-level crime to serious criminal offences – but it was reassuring to know that our local police are embedded in the community and working in new ways to keep us safe from the criminal few.”
The Rt Hon Theresa May MP, Home Secretary, said: “It was a pleasure to visit Yateley police station and see what Hampshire Police are doing to keep people in this area safe. Thanks to the hard work of the police, and the reforms we have introduced in government, crime in Hampshire has fallen by more than 20 per cent since the last election – and we are determined to keep it falling.
“I was also delighted to have the opportunity to congratulate Ranil Jayawardena on his recent selection as the Conservative candidate for North East Hampshire. He already has a strong record of standing up for local people through his work as deputy leader of Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council – and I’m sure he’ll be a great local champion in Parliament.”
Cllr Jayawardena was joined by Cllr John Kennett, Cabinet Member for Community Safety at Hart District Council, and Cllr Ken Crookes, Leader of Hart District Council.