Conservative councillors in Birmingham have called for the city to declare a public safety emergency, sparking a fierce political row with the ruling Labour administration over how to tackle violent crime.
The Call for an Emergency Declaration
At a full council meeting this week, the Conservative group put forward a motion demanding urgent action to "make Birmingham safe again". This followed a series of recent stabbings in the city centre.
The proposed action plan included setting up a high street safety task force involving business groups to combat violent and sexual offences. Key measures called for an urgent review of police resources for town centres and crime hotspots, increased dedicated patrols, and the reallocation of council resources to support crime prevention. This included a specific request to switch back on or replace streetlights that had previously been dimmed.
Labour's Rejection and Accusations of 'Playing Politics'
The Labour administration rejected the call to declare an emergency, amending the motion to remove it. They argued that work to tackle violence was already a "top priority" and accused the Conservatives of "playing politics" with the issue.
Councillor Jamie Tennant, the cabinet member for community safety, acknowledged that recent violent attacks had "shocked our city". However, he stated that crime trends were moving in the right direction and emphasised a duty to avoid scaremongering.
"We have a duty to be honest and not to scaremonger and spread fear," Tennant said at the meeting on Tuesday 3rd December. "While there has been some horrendous attacks in the past few months, crime is falling."
Ongoing Actions and a Passed Amendment
Councillor Tennant outlined existing efforts, noting that from this week, the number of Community Safety Officers working across Birmingham would be doubled. He also highlighted work with police on a city centre action plan, upgrades to street lighting, and youth service programmes to tackle root causes.
He criticised successive Conservative governments for cuts that led to the loss of hundreds of experienced police officers in the West Midlands. The council also pointed to an £8 million programme to replace old streetlights with modern LED versions.
Robert Alden, leader of the Conservative group, expressed disappointment after Labour's amended motion passed. "It is very disappointing that Labour rejected calls for a public safety emergency to be declared," he said, arguing that "much more is needed" despite some consensus on increasing visible patrols.
Police Report Falling Crime Figures
In a related statement, West Midlands Police said it would increase patrols in central Birmingham. The force also reported that its expanded Project Guardian Taskforce, now with 50 officers, was having an impact.
Recent crime figures revealed knife crime has reduced by 16 per cent and serious youth violence has fallen by more than 13 per cent in the region, according to the police statement.
The council leader, John Cotton, reiterated the authority's commitment to tackling knife crime through "coordinated prevention, education, and enforcement efforts."
