This evening, our Woodside candidates Arda and Mus attended the Safer Neighbourhoods meeting at Woodside Green Christian Centre. Officers from the Woodside Ward team were there to hear concerns from local residents about recent reports of an increase in crime. Particular concern was shown in regard to knife crime, burglaries, speeding and antisocial behaviour. Each problem was addressed by officers, who made it clear that the perception of crime was much higher than the actual statistics, and despite the media hysteria, Croydon remains a great and safe place to live.
It was insightful to hear the experiences of local Woodside residents with crime and the police. However, one thing that most residents agreed on was that greater community spirit along with closer knit neighbourhoods would be the best way of deterring crime.
The Woodside Conservative team commits to working with the community and local police team to make our roads and borough safer. This can only be done if the community is active in logging and reporting crime wherever they see it. The main takeaway advice from the meeting was that if you see something, report it!