H&F Crime Summit: You're safer but more to do

That was the message at last saturday's Crime Summit held at Hammersmith Town Hall. I had meant to go but needed to put the marathon training first since there's only 5 weeks to go! Several of you did go and have told me it was well attended with the exception of one or two of the workshops.

The Council's own account of the Summit is here and where they deserve real credit is for a) having put the event on and b) not trying to take the credit for what the Police have achieved. Cllr Greg Smith, the Cabinet Member for Crime & "Street Scene" (what on earth is "street scene") is quoted at length but he resists the politicians' temptation to try to steal the glory. He does however point out that the Council has put a lot of funding the Police's way, particularly to support the development of safer neighbourhood teams.

What I find most astonishing about the whole thing though, and it came up at the Borough Summit last year, is how cyclists seem to have earned the irritation of lots of local people in the Bush. And I say this as a part time fair weather cyclist! I'm also a runner at the moment and on at least one occasion myself I've almost been run down from behind by some prat going too fast on a bike - and it seems they cause no end of problems on the residential streets as well. What do H&F Cyclists have to say about that? I have asked them and actually they do have quite a lot to say about that, so look out for a right to reply posting in the next couple of days...