COLUMN: Policing cuts impact us all

Daniel from the Larwood Park Estate contacted me and I can report that Openreach is now in talks with Westerman Homes to discuss co-funding a project to bring a fibre service to the properties.

Whilst the problem will not be solved overnight, it is encouraging to know that the developers are listening and I will continue to monitor the situation.

Benefit advice and help is a big part of my job.

You wouldn’t believe how badly some people are treated. I was recently contacted by Catherine from Kirkby who suffers from mental health difficulties. The impact of her poor mental health led to her becoming homeless and her Employment Support Allowance was stopped so she came to me to ask if I could help get her payments reinstated.

After my intervention, the Department for Work and Pensions confirmed that it would reinstate her payments, including backpay. The welfare state is in place for the most vulnerable in society and it is a disgrace that it let her down. I am also grateful for the help of Catherine’s local church which has supported her through this terrible time.

And finally, cuts to policing have a huge impact on all our lives.

National police budgets have been cut by £2.7bn since 2010. Nottinghamshire alone has lost 567 police officers and 97 PCSOs since 2010.

The latest crime figures for the county show an increase in theft, burglary and violent crime. There is no denying that there is a clear link here between less bobbies on the beat and an increase in crime.

People want to feel safe as they go about their daily lives. They want to see police officers on their streets.

A Labour government would recruit 10,000 police officers, putting officers back into the community. Cuts have consequences and it is worrying to see crime levels rising again as we warned they would.