Camden (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Residents are calling on Camden Council to hold an urgent public meeting after a stabbing near a community centre sparked fears and demands for accountability.
Camden Council is being urged to hold a meeting with Afghan refugees living in a new apartment complex by the neighbors of Bertram Street and the surrounding roads.
They accuse the council of failing to make an effort to integrate the new population and that there are problems after the refugees were relocated after the Allied departure in 2023.
On the evening of May 10, children saw a guy knife another outside the Highgate Newtown Community Centre. Why the violence occurred is unknown.
At 7:20 p.m., police arrived and informed the Ham&High that a 31-year-old male had minor injuries and had taken himself to the hospital after receiving medical attention from cops.
One individual was taken into custody and later freed. The victim did not want to corroborate an accusation, according to the police.
This week, a new community center opened in the street, and the Afghans were welcomed by the center’s director.
After the new apartments, purchased with Home Office funds, were occupied by 36 households fleeing the Taliban because they had worked for the British in Afghanistan, concerns were expressed about the lack of integration in 2023.
With concerns of problems with the current population, the council was once more accused in April of failing to integrate the Afghan residents.
Tim Steele, who lives in Bertram Street, said:
“I warned the council that something like this would happen but this time it was amongst the Afghans themselves.
This was a dangerous situation and nothing has been done about it. We saw no police or safer neighbourhood officers following the stabbing.
This is not a normal street. There should be a meeting with all of them and us before the summer so the tension doesn’t get worse.”
Jane McWilliams, chair of the Brookfield Road Tenants and Residents Association said “tenants need to be heard”.
Addressing concerns determined to be priority by local community panels in close collaboration with police Safer Neighbourhood Teams. In order to guarantee a specialized police force in every ward, the council also endorses the Safer Neighbourhood Team model.
She added:
“With tensions as fraught as they are amongst the wider community, to open a long-awaited community centre at this time without first visiting the area and speaking with locals, getting a feel for the community as a whole and weighing up any risk this poses to the public in general, would be incredibly remiss and unprofessional of Camden Council.”
A public meeting is essential.
Camden Council has been contacted.
What measures is Camden Council proposing to improve community safety?
Putting the Community Safety Service’s reaction to high-risk individual harm situations including antisocial conduct, young violence, and youth disorder as a top priority. This guarantees the maximum impact of interventions.
Maintaining the current Housing Patrol Service and CCTV on housing estates in order to maintain security and surveillance.
Making use of a reorganized Street Warden service with a flexible staff that allows for prompt responses to hotspot regions and new challenges. In high-street neighborhoods, these wardens deter pickpocketing and street theft.
Local partners are brought together by the CSP to enhance Camden’s safety. Reducing crime, helping victims, and assisting communities in completing local initiatives are the objectives of the CSP.