School kids too scared to play in park because of 'rising crime'

Coventry MP Colleen Fletcher raised the issue with Prime Minister Theresa May during Prime Minister's Questions today



Young children at a Coventry primary school say they are too scared to play in a local park because of rising crime and the declining numbers of police officers in the city.

Pupils at St Elizabeth's Catholic Primary School in Foleshill shared their concerns with local MP Colleen Fletcher about a park near their school last week.

Ms Fletcher - MP for Coventry North East - took the issue straight to the top, raising it during Prime Minister's Questions today (November 21).

The Labour MP asked Prime Minister Theresa May what the government was doing to make sure the city's children feel - and are - safe.

Ms Fletcher said: "Last Friday during Parliament Week, I visited St Elizabeth’s School in my constituency to meet with the school’s council.

"The children told me that rising crime levels and falling police officer numbers have made them fearful of using and enjoying their local park, the one near their school.

"Can the Prime Minister tell the school council, and they may be listening today, what strategy the government is deploying to ensure that all young people feel and are safe, from crime on our streets and in our public spaces."

Ms May said the issue needed to be tackled from many different angles, but particularly cited making sure police have the right powers and educating children on the risks of carrying knives and joining gangs.

She said: "The honourable lady raises an important point, we want young people to be able to feel secure if they’re walking through the streets or if they’re in a park, and gathering with their friends.

"What we need to do in looking at the concern that has been expressed about crime, and particularly I recognise the concern that has been expressed about knife crime and levels of knife crime, is actually tackle this in a number of different ways across the board.

"It’s about ensuring that we have the right powers for the police, it’s about ensuring we have the right system in the criminal justice system.

"But it is also about providing education for young people about the risks of carrying knives. It is also about providing alternatives to those young people who are tempted to join gangs. Because a lot of the crime we see is related to gang activity.

"So this is something that has to be addressed across the board, but I recognise the importance of doing that, to ensure that young people have the security, and safety, and confidence that they need."

It just goes to show, if you ask a silly question you get a silly answer!

You simply can't cure stupid! The likes of Fletcher and May get women a bad name.

Both need challenging for them to walk through these places every day with out security which they both get and they ride around in cars. For goodness sake these are children in a primary school. Have either of these got any children I know Treason May has nt.

Mrs Fletcher has two sons.

I didn't rate her predecessor (Ainsworth), but when I compare them he was far superior in every last way.

Thank you Rebbonk perhaps she should send her kids into that park every day. To me we have got idiots running this country that live in their own little protected world
Imo none of them should have protection in the dangerous country they now have created .

Sad to say I agree with you useless.