Polly has welcomed the announcement that from 2026 every community in East Thanet – and across the country – will have a named, contactable police officer.
The policy marks a major milestone in the government’s plan to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour and restore safety to Britain’s streets.
As part of Labour’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee which will see 13,000 extra neighbourhood officers and PCSOs patrolling local communities over the next 4 years, people living in Margate, Ramsgate, and Broadstairs will have a direct link to their local police force, with dedicated anti-social behaviour leads and new visible patrols in town centres.
Neighbourhood police patrols were decimated across 14 years of Conservative government and communities were badly let down as a result. The number of PCSOs was slashed by half, while Special Constable numbers were cut by two-thirds.
The number of people who regularly see police patrolling in their local area has halved in the past decade, and under the last Conservative government, shoplifting soared to record levels – with a staggering 70% increase in their last two years in office alone.
Through Labour’s Plan for Change, the government is determined to put communities first. There are set to be 3,000 new police officers and PCSOs embedded into forces across the country by the start of 2026, with 65 additional officers joining Kent Police by March 2026 alone – thanks to a £200 million funding boost from the Home Office.
This marks crucial progress towards the government’s commitment to boost neighbourhood officer and PCSO levels by 50% by the next General Election.
The announcement is part of the government’s core mission to deliver safer streets for communities across the country, and follows the launch of the Safer Streets Summer Initiative, which is delivering increased patrols and enforcement in over 500 town centres nationwide – including in Thanet.
Labour’s Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper MP, said:
“Neighbourhood policing was decimated under the Tories, but through our Plan for Change, this Labour Government is bringing the bobby on the beat back.
“Already this summer, 500 towns and city centres have got extra neighbourhood police patrols, as part of the 3,000 additional neighbourhood officers and PCSOs we are investing in this year. At the same time, we are bringing in new powers to tackle off-road bikes, shop theft, street theft. For too long under the Tories, town centre crime was treated as low level. Instead, we’ve made it a priority because communities need to feel safe.”
Polly said:
“One of the biggest issues people raise with me in East Thanet is the rise in crime and antisocial behaviour we have seen in recent years, which is blighting communities and causing real damage to our seaside economy. It’s deeply worrying to hear people say they don’t bother to report crimes to the police because they don’t believe anything will be done.
“That’s why I’m delighted that communities in East Thanet will have a named, contactable neighbourhood police officer who they can turn to when they want to report a problem. Alongside increased street patrols, that will make a huge difference to people’s sense of trust in community policing.
“Upholding law and order is the bedrock of a functioning society. I’m proud that the Labour Government’s Plan for Change is delivering for our communities, putting 13,000 new neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs back on the streets over the next 4 years.”