News from Southampton Labour

Whitehead challenges Southampton Council over city patrol cuts

Alan Whitehead, MP for Southampton Test, has challenged Southampton’s Conservative Council over its plans to cut City Patrol and ‘compensate’ by giving new enforcement powers to parking attendants.

In a letter to Cabinet Member Royston Smith, Alan has requested Cllr Smith confirm that under his proposals, parking attendants would be able to exercise the same powers, have the same level of training, and have the same experience as existing City Patrol staff.

Anything less than this would, Dr Whitehead says, result in a real-terms cut in the community safety service currently provided by the Council, making us all demonstrably less safe.

Dr Whitehead said:

“I am concerned that the ’stormtrooper’ tag is really just spin, and that behind the headlines what we are dealing with could be a very serious cut by the Conservatives to our ability to keep our city safe.

“The Council needs to come clean with a set of proper proposals on the future of City Patrol as a matter of priority, which I hope my letter can contribute to.”

Dr Whitehead’s full letter is below:

Dear Cllr Smith,

Re: Changes to City Patrol

I am writing to request a written briefing on your plans, published in the Daily Echo on Monday 29th June, to abolish City Patrol and to give additional enforcement powers to city parking attendants.

I am sure you would agree that tackling anti-social behaviour should be a high priority for Southampton City Council. I am also sure you will be conscious of the cuts your administration have already made to law & order provision in Southampton, including cutting funding to crack down on shops that sell alcohol to teenagers, and the reduction in the number of neighbourhood wardens operating in the city.

I am therefore seeking a specific reassurance that your plans for City Patrol will not result in a real-terms cut in the community safety service currently provided by the Council. In particular I would be grateful if you could confirm that under your plans, city parking attendants would be able to exercise all the same powers, and be expected to possess the same level of experience and training, as current City Patrol officers.

I look forward to your briefing, which I hope will confirm that there will be no reduction in powers, experience or training in City Patrol officers as a result of these proposals, and that demonstrates your plans are a reasonable re-ordering of services for maximum efficiency. If this is the case, your proposals will of course receive my full support.

However, if you do intend for there to be a reduction in any of the areas outlined above, I would appreciate an indication as to why you think such a real terms cut to community safety in Southampton is acceptable.

At the present time there appears to be a great deal of uncertainty, both within the Council and in the general public, over what these changes will mean in practice. I am sure you will agree that it is necessary for your Cabinet to drastically increase the clarity and coherence of its proposals as soon as possible for there to be any possibility of your plans being managed effectively and retaining public confidence.

Due to the importance of this decision I am sending a copy of this letter to the press, in addition to publishing it on my website.

Yours sincerely,

Alan Whitehead MP
Southampton Test

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