A promise made and delivered: Blackpool gets dedicated neighbourhood police in every ward
One year since Labour won the general election, major investment in neighbourhood policing will transform safety on Blackpool’s streets.
I have delivered on a central election pledge to put bobbies back on the beat as every ward in Blackpool is now set to have a dedicated neighbourhood policing team and a named police officer known to the community.
After winning the Blackpool South by-election last May, I entered office under the Conservatives at a time when weapon and knife crime in Blackpool had risen by 416 per cent, violent crime had doubled, and public order offences were up by nearly 500 per cent. These were shocking figures and ones I raised in Parliament straight away. Since then, under a Labour government, we’ve been working to tackle the issue head on.
Since my election, I have worked closely with the Police and Crime Commissioner, Lancashire Constabulary, and local policing teams to understand the unique challenges facing Blackpool. I have joined regular patrols, supported special operations, attended community PACT meetings and listened to residents, businesses, and young people affected by crime.
The Government has also announced a new Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee as part of its wider Safer Streets plan. It’s a commitment to getting visible, dedicated police officers back into every community. That means proper foot patrols, named and contactable neighbourhood teams, more officers in town centres and quicker responses when things go wrong. It also gives residents a stronger voice when it comes to setting local policing priorities. When this works properly, people are safer, and communities have more power to push back against crime and antisocial behaviour.
In the first phase of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, Lancashire will see 53 new police officers, 30 PCSOs (Police Community Support Officers’) and 20 specials added to local neighbourhood teams.
PCC Clive Grunshaw and Chris Webb MP with local police in Blackpool
Thanks to persistent lobbying, Blackpool will receive a significant share of these resourced – with every local ward gaining a named officer residents can contact directly.
This is a promise made and delivered. One year on from the general election, I’m proud to say we are restoring visible, trusted policing in Blackpool. Constituents told me they wanted neighbourhood police they knew by name and could rely on – and we’ve delivered exactly that.
But this must be just the beginning. We’ve been left behind for far too long. The impact of crime and anti-social behaviour on people’s lives must be taken seriously. Visible, community-based policing is exactly what residents have been calling for. This new guarantee is a chance to deliver it and to start rebuilding the trust that’s been lost.
Since day one, I’ve been clear about the need for more police on our streets. When first elected, I directly challenged the previous Conservative government on the 33 per cent cut made to neighbourhood policing in our town.
I made it clear that we can’t fix these problems without real investment. While places like Surrey have hundreds more officers than they did in 2010, Lancashire has 100 fewer. That’s not just unfair, it’s dangerous. I’ll keep pushing for Blackpool to get its fair share.
Alongside this, new measures brought forward through the Crime and Policing Bill stand to help towns like ours. There will be tougher penalties for carrying weapons, more powers to crack down on shoplifting and new Respect Orders to deal with antisocial behaviour. These are the kinds of things that residents talk to me about all the time and they need to be backed up with proper enforcement.
I’ll keep fighting for visible, consistent policing that works for local communities. Every resident deserves to be safe in their own town and to know that their concerns are being listened to. I’ll keep working to make sure Blackpool gets the investment, officers and support we need to turn things around and that we’re never left behind again.
