Town hall meeting rescheduled to discuss city centre crime and anti-social behaviour

Wakefield MP Simon Lightwood, council leaders, police chiefs and members of the business community will meet at Wakefield Town Hall at 4pm.

The meeting was due to take place last Friday but was cancelled due to snow.

The meeting will discuss a number of issues affecting business owners in the city centre.

A total of 63 commercial burglaries have been reported in the area in the past six months, with some businesses repeatedly being targeted on Wood Street and Northgate.

Business owners in The Springs and Lower Warrengate area have reported how they have been blighted by crime and antisocial behaviour.

They are calling for police and Wakefield Council to stop housing homeless people nearby at Citilodge hotel.

It has also emerged how many CCTV cameras in the city centre and across the district are currently not working.

The council is set to extend a ban on drinking in the city centre for another three years as part of measures to address the problems.

A public spaces protection order (PSPO) allows police to issue on-the-spot £100 fines for those consuming alcohol on the streets.

These powers are due to expire next month, but senior councillors are expected to extend the order until 2026.

Maureen Cummings, cabinet member for communities, poverty and health, said: “It is clear from the public engagement we have undertaken, with residents and business owners, that we need to do more in other areas of the city centre.

“The council’s anti-social behaviour team and the police believe an extension will reduce the impact nuisance behaviour is having on our communities.

“A PSPO is not intended to affect the peaceful activities that many of us enjoy but a way of dealing with people who are persistently drunk or rowdy and using drugs or behaving erratically in a public space.”

Announcing plans for the meeting last month, Mr Lightwood said: “I have been very concerned about the recent spate of break-ins to businesses in the Northgate, Wood Street and Cross Street area.

“I know this has caused significant frustrations and distress for business owners in the area.

“I have been in regular contact with the police, Wakefield Council and local businesses about these issues throughout.

“Although it is promising that there have been some recent arrests, I know that there is always more work that can be done to help make our city centre feel safer.

“That’s why I am organising this meeting, in partnership with the police and the council, to hear the concerns of businesses first-hand and to discuss what next steps can be taken.”