EVERY time our brave policemen and women leave their homes and set off to work for their next shift, they’re putting their lives on the line to keep us all safe.
For 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year, they are out patrolling our streets and our roads. They are there when we need them and we owe them a debt we will never be able to repay.
I recently had the honour of joining PC David Gresswell on patrol in Bromsgrove town centre and in Sidemoor. It was a valuable insight into what a shift can look like for our local officers.
Whilst on patrol in the town centre we discussed a number of issues, but one of the most pressing issues I wanted to discuss was the rise of the black market high street.
The social identity of our communities is being impacted. The identity of many cities, towns and villages across the UK is changing.
We have all witnessed the rise of the cash-only vape shops, tanning salons, convenience stores, barbers and car washes that are littering our communities, with no social benefit to enrich our towns and villages.
Not only are such businesses widely considered to be a front for money laundering, but they are linked to illegal immigration and people smuggling. They are also a dangerous lure for young people who risk being drawn into county lines-style linked criminality. It’s a phenomenon being felt across the country.
I was reassured during my time with the police that there is ongoing work between the local council, trading standards and the police to crackdown on the black market high street.
But the Government needs to take more responsibility too. As soon as one black market business closes another one pops-up. This cannot continue.
We need the Government to set out a co-ordinated and detailed strategy into how it is going to crackdown on the black market high street. If a change a law is required then we need this Government to be bold and brave enough to bring legislation forward.
The Government could start by ensuring our police have the resources they need.
As of March 2024, England and Wales had the highest number of police officers on record, with over 149,000 officers. More than 20,000 additional officers were recruited between 2019 and 2024, fulfilling the previous Government’s manifesto commitment. This means there were more than 3,500 extra officers in England and Wales than at the previous peak in 2010.
I am aware the Government has pledged to hire 3,000 new officers.
However, I remain concerned the level of funding allocated for the recruitment and training of these staff will not be sufficient to retain headcount, which leaves me concerned there will be a reduction in numbers.
Rest assured that as your local MP I will continue to campaign for additional police patrols to ensure Bromsgrove and the villages remain a safe and secure place to live.
Bradley Thomas
Bromsgrove MP
