As the House of Commons returns after the Easter break, Stoke-on-Trent North MP Jonathan Gullis was quick to quiz the Home Secretary on cracking down on anti-social behaviour in Tunstall.
As part of Round 5 of the Government’s Safer Street funding, Tunstall was given £250,000 for new CCTV, alley gates and better street lighting to crack down on anti-social behaviour. Having visited the Home Office’s new Hub in Hanley, the Home Secretary spoke in the House where he criticised the Labour-run administration after Jonathan Gullis suggested that the Council leader suggested no money would be available for anti-crime infrastructure in Tunstall.
Gullis also raised his campaign to remove “undesirables” from the Sneyd Arms in Tuntsall which has the support of nearly 500 local residents and local Councillor Tabrase Din. They are calling on Stoke-on-Trent City Council stop housing homeless people which has driven a spike in crime in the town. Gullis has previously said that “The Council should not be housing the homeless in the Sneyd Arms. It’s right in front of the historic market and town hall which is the focal point of the community. My petition pressures the Council to find better accommodation to house the homeless that does not impact the high street”.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Jonathan Gullis MP said: “Thank you, Mr Speaker. Due to an increase in antisocial behaviour in the town of Tunstall, I was proud to work with local residents, over 500 of them, in order to gain the support for new CCTV, new alley gates and better street lighting through the safer streets funding.”
“However, the Labour leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council told me there'll be no money for Tunstall when I met with her and to make matters worse, has dumped some undesirables in the Sneyd Arms Hotel in the town centre which has led to further criminal activity that's blighting high street stores up and down our community.”
“Doesn't the Home Secretary agree with me that thank God Ben Adams, Staffordshire Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner was listening and he did indeed make sure that we got that safer streets funding and our community is going to feel safer and people should vote for Ben on the 2 May?”
Responding, the Home Secretary The Rt Hon James Cleverly, said: “I can hardly put it better myself. I have recently visited the wonderful, the wonderful town of Stoke, and seen the passion of the people. And this is a classic example of where local leadership at the hands of the Labour Party have failed people and local leadership in the hands of Conservatives have actually defended local people.”