Kirk: Community Businesses Important in the Fight against Crime

1.35.00pm GMT Thu 5th Nov 2009

The loss of local shops and Post Offices is contributing to crime and anti-social behaviour, Madeleine Kirk, Prospective Liberal Democrat MP for York Outer, has told a government Minister.

Madeleine was speaking at the launch of Not in My Neighbourhood week in Wigginton on Monday November 2nd at which she met with junior Minister Alan Campbell. Madeleine joined the Minister for a round table discussion on crime and anti-social behaviour with others including Haxby and Wigginton Lib Dem councillor Paul Firth and council leader Andrew Waller.

Madeleine Kirk said: "I had the opportunity to raise the issue of the loss of local shops and Post Offices with the Minister. I told him that the loss of small community businesses and Post Offices resulted in residents no longer having a venue to tell their neighbours about the behaviour of younger residents. In the past these chance meetings had resulted in families taking action with their youngsters to moderate their behaviour. It's such a shame that this isn't happening anymore.

"The Minister agreed with me. I hope he was able to take this back to his colleagues in the Labour government who are responsible for closing some 4000 Post Offices since they have been in government - the same number as the last Conservative government."