Bishop Auckland faces a growing issue with illegal off-road bikes being dangerously driven through the town centre and around Woodhouse Close. These reckless actions threaten the safety of our community, yet, due to the under-resourcing of our police by the Labour Police and Crime Commissioner, little has been done to combat them.
As your Conservative councillor, I bring proven experience in tackling this very problem. In Spennymoor, I successfully introduced the use of drones to help our police catch offenders in the act, tracking their movements in real-time and guiding officers to their location. This approach was highly effective and made our streets safer.
But enforcement is only part of the solution. During my time in Spennymoor, I worked closely with young people, schools, youth facilities, and services to promote the activities available to them. By providing positive alternatives, we helped take young people off the streets and into safe extracurricular activities. This not only reduced antisocial behaviour but protected everyone in the community.
In Bishop Auckland, I will implement the same successful strategies: securing state-of-the-art drones for the police, increasing the number of CCTV cameras in the town, increasing community engagement, and expanding youth services to address the root causes of antisocial behaviour.