Islington Council has announced plans to extend Neighbourhood Policing to all Islington wards. <br><br>Currently only 9 of Islington’s 16 wards have their own dedicated police team. The Council now plans to bring forward the plans for dedicated teams in the remaining 7 wards in a partnership with the police to drive down crime across the borough.<br><br>The extra funding is planned to come from the Council Tax budget where there is a surplus available due to sound financial management. <br><br>The proposals will be heard at this week's Counci Executive on 8 September.<br><br>Councillor Steve Hitchins, Leader of Islington Council said: <br><br>“Building a community in which everyone can feel safe is a part of our 'One Islington' vision.<br><br>When we carried out a crime survey, areas without Safer Neighbourhoods told us they feel a strong need for local police teams on the beat - so we are taking action.<br><br>Those that have these teams already tell us that they have experienced significant reductions in crime and fear of crime. <br><br>We want to be able to extend that benefit right across the borough, including with our major transport hubs at Angel an Finsbury Park used by 80,000 commuters each day."<br><br>Highbury West, Junction, Barnsbury and St Peter’s will be the first wards to benefit from the roll out of the scheme with plans for new police teams by the end of October. <br><br>Canonbury, Highbury East and St George’s would have their new teams in place by March 2006. <br><br>Present policing costs are met by the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) who had planned to roll out the whole prgramme boroughwide by 2008. The Council have stepped in with support from Islington's Borough Commander to bring that forward so that the entire borough will be covered by April 2006.<br><br>The cost to the Council will be £950,000 in 2005/6 and £1,080,000 in 2006/7. The full cost is expected to be picked up by the police from April 2007 when expected funding comes in from Central Government.<br><br>The official decision regarding this scheme will be made at Executive on 8 September.<br><br>Ends
Page Last Updated: 17 December 2009