Lib Dems help crime tumble in Bournemouth

11.13.00am GMT Mon 12th Feb 2007

Police and Council work means town no longer classified as high crime area.

Official figures show crime in Bournemouth has fallen dramatically in the last three years.

In 2003, Bournemouth was officially rated a high crime area. The Tories had been running the Council for four years, and failed to invest in ways of tackling crime like modernising CCTV.

Soon after being elected to run the Council, the Lib Dems set to work on the best ways of tackling crime, playing a full part in working with the police and local communities.

'The results of this kind of working are amazing,' says Cllr Richard Renaut.

'Burglary is down by two-thirds. Robberies are down three-quarters. Effective work on reducing drug related crime has paid off, especially through the nationally acclaimed Pier Project.'

The Lib Dems continue to be committed to helping cut crime and making residents feel safer, especially in the town centre at night. This is benefiting from the improvements in CCTV under the Lib Dems.

The Lib Dem plans for the Winter Gardens will provide alternatives to pubs and nightclubs, reducing the risk of binge-drinking related crime. Use of the new licensing laws is also having an effect.

Councils are held to account for the work they do tackling crime. We can't just leave it to the police to do by themselves.

'Thats why the Lib Dems made this one of the Councils priorities and were proud we've helped play a part in cutting crime in Bournemouth,' adds Cllr Renaut.

• The Liberal Democrats made Safer Communities a priority for the Council. Can you risk going back to the Conservatives?