Kit Malthouse MP hosts fresh summit on Andover crime

Police, council leaders and youth workers met at Andover Guildhall for the latest crime summit, chaired by North West Hampshire MP Kit Malthouse, to plan further action after an initial meeting before summer.

The group’s priorities include improving CCTV coverage, monitoring empty properties and targeting trouble spots such as town-centre car parks and alleyways.

Kit Malthouse, MP for North West Hampshire, said: "Anti-social behaviour can sound relatively minor until it’s happening outside your home, your business, or on the street you use every day.

"We know there are particular spots around our town centre where crime and anti-social behaviour are causing concern, from shoplifting and vandalism to drug dealing, so I wanted to get everybody back round the table to see what we can do.

"CCTV is an important part of that.

"There’s not much point in having a camera if it’s pointing in the wrong direction or doesn’t cover the place where trouble is happening.

"So the police are going to look carefully at what we have and where the gaps are.

"We’re also going to keep a close eye on empty properties, which can become magnets for trouble if they sit neglected.

"The bottom line is that people should be able to live, work, shop and go about their daily business in Andover without constantly being troubled by crime.

"And while these preventative measures and visible policing will greatly help, we also need the justice system to do its job.

"When offenders are caught, there must be consequences that deter them from doing it again."

The group also explored funding through the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Safer Communities Fund.

Councillors Phil North, Iris Anderson and Jan Budzynski attended alongside representatives from Test Valley Borough Council, Test Valley Police and the Yellow Brick Road Project.

The summit was part of an ongoing series convened by Mr Malthouse.