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Howard's Way.... a weekly column from the Rt. Hon. Michael Howard QC. MP. 

2 October 2008

Last weekend could be described as given over to law and order.

On Friday morning I had one of my regular meetings with Superintendent Debbie Doe at Folkestone Police Station.

Superintendent Doe has responsibility for policing in the South Kent area, covering Shepway, Ashford and Dover. The news she gave me was encouraging. Most categories of crime in the area continue to fall and we line in what is probably one of the safest parts of the country.

But Superintendent Doe is not complacent. She is very much alive to the concerns people have – concerns which are not always reflected in the official statistics.

And those concerns were very much in evidence at a public meeting which I chaired in Lydd on Saturday afternoon.

There, speaker after speaker complained about the kind of localised disorder which can make life a misery for law-abiding citizens.

The meeting was called at the instigation of Councillor Carole Waters and was well attended by other councillors and well over 50 members of the public. Representatives of the police, the Minister of Defence and Kent and Shepway Councils were also present.

The meeting gave a great opportunity for local people to make their concerns known to the authorities.

Many points were made – the behaviour of soldiers from the camp at Lydd and of young people from outside the town using their free bus passes to come to Lydd and make trouble; the inadequate police cover and failure to deal properly with calls reporting crimes. I know these concerns are not limited to Lydd.

In 10 days time I shall be meeting the Chief Constable at Maidstone and I will put these concerns to him. I shall report back to you on the response I get.