16/11/2009

Robin Walker, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Worcester today attended a public meeting at the Guildhall to hear from residents and businesses whose lives have been blighted by anti-social behaviour and public drunkenness at Lowesmoor Wharf.

As Parliamentary candidate Robin had already been in correspondence with local businesses about this issue for some time, liaising with local councillors and the police to make sure it gets addressed. Local activist Nikki Harrison today brought together a large group of people who have been affected and made sure local police and councillors heard about their first hand experience of the problems.

Robin spoke at the meeting, offering his support for local iniatives to bring together residents and businesses with the police, Councillors and the South Worcestershire Safety partnership and urging the police to carry out more confiscations of alchohol. He said that, if he is elected as MP, he will take a personal interest in seeing the problems addressed.

Robin Walker said:

"Congratulations to Nikki Harrison and the businesses and residents of the Lowesmoor area for making sure their voices are heard. The stories that we heard today about drunkenness, intimidation and constant unremitting anti-social behaviour were truly shocking and I would agree with the police representative who described the situation as unacceptable."

"No one person or organisation holds the key to sorting this out, but I want to make sure that everybody with a role to play does their bit to make sure it is dealt with. As a fellow resident of the city centre I know that this is a problem for all of us and one in which many different groups have a part to play."

"I have urged the police to increase the number of confiscations of alchohol in order to deter alcoholics from gathering here. I am urging local councillors to look into the licensing arrangements and see if the Lowesmoor Wharf area can be added to the Citynet system. Over the long term we have to deal with the problems of substance abuse and homelessness that behind drive a lot of these problems and I believe that the Conservative party has the right policies to do this, delivering affordable housing, investing in residential rehabilitation and in the meantime, always making sure the law is rigorously enforced."