Read my latest news and views…
Keeping phones out of the classroom
Mobile phones during the school day they distract pupils, disrupt classes, can lead to poor discipline and lower attainment.
Changing the law to tackle high street criminals
I have written before about the need to tackle criminal businesses that operation in plain sight on our high streets. There's no point complaining about these problems without having a plan to tackle it! That is why I have been calling for a change in the law to help the police to close down these businesses more swiftly and for longer.
Local Work on Youth Knife Crime to be Replicated Nationally
Operation Deter Youth is a pioneering programme that sees rapid intervention from Youth Justice Services for young people under the age of 18 arrested for knife-possession or knife-enabled offences in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes, spearheaded by Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Barber.
Now the Home Office has announced a new initiative that will see young people caught carrying knives given targeted support to steer them away from further offending.
53 more neighbourhood police officers planned despite Government under-funding
Last month, the Government announced the police funding settlement which for Thames Valley Police was £9m less than expected. Now the Home Office made clear that they would only fund around 40% of the cost of new officers.
Home Office is underfunding neighbourhood police officers
Just days before the budget is set for Thames Valley Police, the Home Office has dropped another bombshell.
Not only did the funding announcement in December leave the Force £9m worse of that we expected based on the Government’s own numbers, the latest news looks set to cost a further £2m each year due to underfunding from the Home Office.
Thames Valley Police £9m worse off following the Government announcement
The police settlement announced by Government yesterday confirmed Thames Valley Police’s core funding will be £8.8m less than expected, barely covering the costs of inflation and pay increases.