7 January (Part 1) - Penny wise pound foolish
When
Bexley council announced it was going to save £200,000 a year by not locking
parks at night and cancelled its contract with Ward Security, a Labour
councillor, Stefano Borella if I remember correctly, stood up in the council
chamber to say that all that would happen is that incidences of criminal damage
would rise and the budgetary impact would be transferred to the police.
It was perhaps a statement of the bloomin’ obvious but Bexley council is not exactly famed for logical thought.
Inevitably the Labour councillor was right. In Danson Park the police are
worried about the keying of parked cars and another police officer has told me
that damage to public spaces is running at tens of thousands of pounds. He asked
me not to reveal where. Presumably he will have his reasons.
The short sighted decision was taken by councillor Gareth Bacon, since promoted to be deputy leader of Bexley council.