Councillor claims areas of Wigan are a 'haven' for crime

Coun Lawrence Hunt said many local communities have a particular problem as residents and businesses endure daily break-ins and burglaries.

He said that drugs and central government cuts to policing and other services have contributed to what he believes has been a “significant’” rise since 2010.

Coun Hunt, who represents Wigan Central on Wigan Council, said: “Areas including Scholes and around the town centre are particularly bad for crime and anti-social behaviour and are crime havens.

“These are austerity based cuts not just to policing numbers but other services including youth clubs and alcohol and drug rehabilitation programmes.

“Homelessness is a problem also and drugs is behind a lot of this also, as you get petty criminals who want to make a bit of money. All these things combined creates the perfect storm.

“So you get people drinking on the streets and urinating and drug taking and residents are coming to me complaining of break-ins and burglaries. So there has been a significant rise in crime.”

He said that Wigan Council were doing the best they could in a difficult situation in the face of cuts to their budget.

Coun Hunt said: “The council are doing their bit, along with the local police, to ensure that police and PCSOs are present.

“The council have also had a strategy which has seen rough sleeping reduced which all helps.

“But there’s only so much joined up thinking you can do in the face of cuts to council and policing budgets.”

Coun Hunt called for the government to end austerity and invest in policing and other services.

He said: “About ten years ago the biggest problem residents would come to me with was dog fouling.

“Crime would be like number four on the list.

“I do believe that cuts to policing and other services have contributed to this rise in crime, as if there are less police on the streets and other lifeline services are being cut, then inevitably the numbers will go up.

“We know the individuals involved in these crimes but nothing is done and when you do catch them, they’re locked up and let out to commit more crimes.

“The current approach isn’t working and we need to see proper rehabilitation of criminals, so they’re just not in and out of prison all the time.”

He added: “I know the government say they’re investing in police and are going to put 20,000 police officers on the streets but this is simply replacing those that have already been cut.

“Proper investment is now needed.”

His concerns come as other communities in Wigan have raised similar fears about cirme and anti-social behaviour.

In Bryn, it even prompted councillor, Steve Jones, to organise a public meeting yesterday (Thursday) which saw a local officer attend.

Coun Jones claims that crime in the community is worse than ever with residents so terrified that they are choosing to stay at home rather than go out.