Women’s safety – both locally and nationally is of vital importance and regular readers of my column will know that tackling violence against women is something I have campaigned on since being elected.
Locally, I have carried out a survey on women’s safety and set up a roundtable meeting with the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Matthew Scott, Sevenoaks District Police and representatives from Sevenoaks District Council to share the results and discuss improvements.
As a result of this meeting Sevenoaks District Council set up a page of information for women with safety concerns, the Police and Crime Commissioner set up a women’s safety enquiry and the police took into account for policing priorities the areas highlighted as of concern to women.
I have also held a meeting with Southeastern concerning safety in and around stations, and I am pleased a subsequent Safeguarding Team, including a seconded British Transport Police officer. I have also sought improvements to CCTV and lighting around stations, as well as tackled passenger safety and anti-social behaviour at Bat & Ball station.
Nationally, as a backbencher I called for stringer sentences for rape, and for parole boards to always to be involved before a perpetrator is released. And alongside Kent MP colleagues campaigned in the support of the Nightingale Court in Kent, so that all victims of crime can see swifter justice, and to help cases with high risk of attrition, such as sexual violence.
However, the work is not yet done, and I am therefore very pleased that Sevenoaks District Council has now` launched a consultation to look at how safe women and girls feel in public spaces across the Sevenoaks District.
The Council is seeking your views on how safe you feel in public spaces within the district so they can work with partners and put together an action plan to help make Sevenoaks District even safer.
This is such an important topic so please do take the time to submit your views and share it with your friends, family and community groups. https://engagement.sevenoaks.gov.uk/communities/vawg-publicspaces/consult_view/ The consultation will close on 7th January 2024.
Women have a right to feel safe, and we must work together to make this a reality.
On a more festive note, a huge congratulations to Emily King (Year 5, Crockenhill Primary School) on becoming this year’s Christmas Card Competition winner! I presented Emily’s design to the Prime Minister, and it has now been printed on the front of all my Christmas cards, alongside the four fantastic runners up: Prakruti Halgeri (Year 4, Amherst School), Francesca Board (Year 6, Hextable Primary School), Johnny White (Reception, Lady Boswell's Primary School) and Theodore Felstein (Year 2, Shoreham Village School)
A huge thank you to all the children who entered, as well as the local teachers and parents who helped the designs reach me in Westminster. I hope it helped get many of you into the festive spirit.
