00:00So this is, as you correctly said, a concern for many areas across Kent.
00:04Snodland in particular, however, has recently implemented a public space protection order,
00:09which is a power that councils have to basically go after boy races.
00:14And the concern of local councillors, and this is work that I am supporting,
00:19is that that public space protection order is not being enforced.
00:23And with regards to that, the local councillors have tabled a number of clear questions
00:28for the police and the council who are responsible for that order
00:32around how many fines are being issued, what proactive work are they doing around dispersal orders,
00:38and actually what they're doing to gain evidence through CCTV
00:42to ensure that those who are undertaking these really distressful antisocial actions
00:48are challenged robustly.
00:50And of course, these PSPOs, this was something under your sort of control
00:54when you were a councillor at Medway Council.
00:56Of course, now you're an MP, no longer a councillor,
00:59but has that left you in a bit of a difficult position
01:01where you actually could have implemented a lot more as a councillor
01:05and had more power to change things?
01:07And now as an MP, it seems like a step up,
01:11but perhaps you can't actually action what you want within the council anymore.
01:16Yeah, so a slight difference.
01:19This area wasn't the council area that I led on.
01:23So Stoddland is part of Tunbridge and Mauling Borough Council rather than Medway Council.
01:27But I understand your point around enforcement of PSPOs.
01:31That is partly the reason why, as part of the Police and Crime Bill
01:35that I'm working with colleagues on in Parliament,
01:37we're introducing much more robust powers around seizure of vehicles,
01:42including nuisance bikes and boy racer vehicles.
01:45And that law is passing through Parliament as we speak.
01:47But actually, these powers, PSPOs, elsewhere in the country are being enforced more robustly.
01:54And even within Kent, Dartford is a great example, and Medway,
01:58of where the number of boy racer meetings have significantly decreased
02:03because of the proactive work of police.
02:05So what we're saying is the police do excellent work,
02:08but we need to focus it in particular areas.
02:11And I will say Tunbridge and Mauling have had success in New Hyde Lane, in Larkfield.
02:15So they can, when pressed, deal with this issue.
02:18And all I'm asking is that Stoddland be giving that focus for the next several months.
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