The Southend West MP has welcomed the Government’s announcement that they will be banning the use of Nitrous Oxide.
The new measures, announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaking in Essex on Monday, form part of the Government’s new Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan.
Under the new zero-tolerance approach, Nitrous oxide or “laughing gas” will be banned, putting an end to intimidation and criminality in parks, highstreets and on the seafront.
Southend has seen a huge rise in nitrous oxide misuse and tackling this has been a key campaign for Anna Firth since she was elected. The MP met with the Home Secretary Suella Braverman in September to raise the issue of nitrous oxide abuse. She has lobbied ministers continually on this subject and has raised the issue in oral questions in the House of Commons three times, most recently last Monday (20th March).
The drug is now the third most used among 16 to 24-year-olds in England and both the police and public have repeatedly reported links between use of the drug and nuisance or anti-social behaviour. There has also been a rise in the number of used canisters and balloons littering the streets, many of which end up in the water system.
Essex Police have been dealing with a rise of nitrous oxide abuse across Southend-on-Sea, with local police reporting daily complaints from members of the public. This reached a peak last summer when hundreds of industrial canisters were seized from large groups of teenagers on 18th July.
The new action plan also introduces new ‘hotspot trailblazer areas’ which will see an increase in police presence alongside other uniformed authority figures, such as wardens, in problem areas for anti-social behaviour, including public transport and high streets or parks. The increased presence will help deter anti-social behaviour, step up enforcement action against offenders, make sure crimes are punished more quickly and drive deterrence efforts, helping to stop anti-social behaviour spiralling into more serious criminality. Essex has been selected as one of these trailblazer areas, which builds on last summer’s Operation Union, Southend Police’s successful anti-social behaviour scheme.
The new Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan also introduces tougher sentences for criminals responsible for offences such as vandalism or graffitiing, who will start cleaning up their crimes as quickly as possible, with the aim of offenders starting work within 48 hours of receiving an order.
Also under the action plan, fines for littering and graffitiing will increase from £150 to £500 and fines for fly-tipping will increase from £400 to £1,000, with councils keeping these fines to reinvest in clean up and enforcement.
Anna said,
“I am delighted that the Prime Minister is taking a tough new stance on Anti-Social Behaviour. This is a blight on our communities which no-one in Southend or Leigh should have to put up with. The new action plan will help make the lives of everyone who lives in or visits our brilliant new city safer.
I particularly welcome the announcement that nitrous oxide is being banned. This drug is an absolute menace and has caused havoc in our local community, as well as seriously damaging the health of our young people, and I have been campaigning hard to get it banned. I am glad that the that the Home Secretary has listened to me, our local Conservative Councillors and Essex Police and is taking real action ahead of the summer.
I am thrilled that Essex has been chosen as one of the new hotspot trailblazer areas, following on from the extremely successful Operation Union, piloted by Southend Police, which saw a huge drop in anti-social behaviour.
I also welcome the strict new measures being introduced to tackle graffiti and fly-tipping, which has been a real problem in Southend West, especially in Westborough.”
Inspector Paul Hogben, Southend Police said,
“Last summer we saw an increase in the use of Nitrous Oxide across our waterfront areas in Southend. This often led to an increase in antisocial behaviour. We received lots of feedback from partners and members of the public about how intimidating this was. The announcement made by the government around new legislation will provide officers with more tools to deal with this issue, and help Southend remain a safe and inviting place for people to visit and enjoy.”
Roger Hurst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex said,
"I very much welcome these new government measures to combat anti-social behaviour, and the funding to back them. We have piloted hotspot policing in Essex, and have worked closely with our Community Safety Partners to get anti-social behaviour down by over half in the last seven years. But too often residents find they cannot use public spaces, or are distressed by dysfunctional behaviour. These new measures mean we will be able to keep more people safe, and feeling safe."
