Haringey Council visit Ilford Lane to see ground-breaking ASB and enforcement measures

On Tuesday 9 August, Redbridge Council welcomed Haringey Council Leader Peray Ahmet and officials from Haringey Council to see the ground-breaking work being implemented to tackle anti-social behaviour, increase enforcement and improve place making across Redbridge.

The Leader of the Council Cllr Jas Athwal and Chief Executive, Claire Symonds, along with the Community Safety Team welcomed Haringey to the borough to showcase the recent work that has taken place in partnership with local people, Enforcement Officers and the Metropolitan Police to tackle crime in Redbridge.

Haringey employees visited the Enforcement Hub in York Road, Ilford, BoxUp Crime and Ilford Lane, and attended a briefing on the plans for Ilford regeneration.

Historically, Ilford Lane has had issues with kerb-crawling and on-street prostitution. As a consequence, Redbridge Council embraced the 4E’s Prostitution Strategy; Enforcement, Engagement, Environment and Education, and levels of prostitution fell significantly in the area.

Redbridge Council highlighted the ways the 4E’s Prostitution Strategy has been implemented in South Ilford to tackle the issue and help support women, who are often victims of trafficking by showcasing:

• Council enforcement presence in South Ilford
• Increase in police patrols
• Increase in CCTV and ANPR cameras plus the implementation of a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), which bans attempts to buy sexual services from another person in a public place
• Environmental improvements to design out prostitution such as cutting hedges back, clearing areas of bins, shutter art on shops
• The newly launched digital screens at the top of Ilford Lane
• Mobile Enforcement Hub and Challenger CCTV Vehicle
• Behavioural insights to reduce the demand for prostitution

As part of the visit, Haringey had the opportunity to see BoxUp Crime, a boxing gym in Ilford supported by Redbridge Council. The council were able to support BoxUp Crime through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), which Redbridge Planning Service negotiates from developers to fund facilities which benefit the community. CEO of BoxUp, Stephen Addison pitched the benefits and impact BoxUp has had already in Redbridge.

BoxUp Crime works with young people at risk of having their lives ruined by crime and gangs, and motivates them to rebuild and recapture their dreams and aspirations.

It also provides young people with job opportunities and apprenticeships as a stepping-stone to their future.

The Leader of the Council, Cllr Jas Athwal, said: “We’ve worked hard in Redbridge to crack down on antisocial behaviour and make our streets safer for local people, using innovations like our Enforcement Hubs, investing in CCTV and successfully lobbying for additional police.

It’s important to share best practice and learn from our neighbours, so it was great to welcome Haringey Council and Leader Cllr Peray Ahmet to Ilford to show what we’ve achieved so far and share what we’re planning for the future.”