South Cambs has experienced rapid growth, but the number of police hasn’t kept pace. Rapidly growing communities such as Cambourne don’t have the police cover they deserve, leaving residents concerned about crime. In more rural areas, villagers and farmers often feel the police are just too overstretched to be able to offer help in their time of need.
The Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner Jason Ablewhite has a done a brilliant job pushing up police numbers across the county, from 1326 when he started to 1496 - a record high. But the growing population means we need more. The Conservative government is recruiting an extra 20,000 police across the country. It is imperative that South Cambridgeshire gets its fair share. It is also important that police are visible – out on the beat – which deters criminals and reassures residents.
South Cambridgeshire farmers also have a particular problem with hare coursing, which in recent years has made a comeback. It not only disrupts communities, but causes damage to property and crops. We must have zero tolerance of hare coursing, with the cars and dogs of hare coursers confiscated.