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Question Time ? CROYDON BME SPECIAL COVERAGE INSIDE: › Rebuilding Croydon together p22 The Voice & Croydon BME Forum SUMMIT › New policing model unveiled p27 › Dealing with illegal exclusions p28 AUGUST1 - 7, 2013 COMMUNITY Question Time ? Intelligent Mentoring Project has been established to empower young black males in Croydon to make positive life choices. Get involved! Help us make a difference! www.i-mentoring.co.uk Inspiring • Motivating • Achieving MORE INFO CONTACT Call: 020 8684 3719 Email: [email protected] Benefits Contact Us Website: www.i-mentoring.co.uk For more information please contact For Mentee... • Personal growth and development Croydon Mentoring Consortium • Increased self esteem c/o Croydon BME Forum • Better management of difficult Palmcroy House thoughts and emotions 387 London Road • Influence from a positive role model West Croydon • Greater sense of personal responsibility CR0 3PB 0208 684 3719 For the Mentor... • Training and on-going support [email protected] • Improved interpersonal skills www.i-mentoring.co.uk • Develop skills that can enhance career opportunities • An opportunity to share knowledge and experience • Satisfaction of seeing another person develop Make a difference - Mentoring for boys in Croydon imentoring_leaflet.indd 1 22/05/2013 14:11 22 | THE VOICE AUGUST1 - 7, 2013 BME SUPPLEMENT Community must pull together to Rebuilding make borough successful,says expert panel By Natricia Duncan only a tenth of these ac- tions result in arrest. “What is that if not a ra- ISGRUNTLED cial bias?” he asked. CROYDON resi- Panellist Javel Nelson, a dents were urged member of Croydon Youth by a panel of Parliament, said the com- community rep- munity has lost faith in the Dresentatives to support lo- force and called on the po- cal leaders and get involved lice to “strengthen bridges”. in rebuilding their commu- Musker admitted that nity at a recent BME Forum stop and search is a long- Question Time at Croydon standing problem that Town Hall. the country has “failed to The event, the first in a address over the last 40 series of planned forums, years.” was organised by Nero But he defended his Ughwujabo, chief executive force, insisting that his of- of Croydon BME Forum, in ficers are young, tolerant association with The Voice. and multicultural men and It gave residents the op- women who understand portunity to raise their that racism will not be tol- concerns to a panel of erated. community representatives, He said: “There is no chaired by the newspaper’s place in the Metropolitan managing director, George Police for somebody who (TOP LEFT TO RIGHT) PANEL MEMBERS: Ruddock, and included uses the enormous power Croydon Central MP Gavin we are invested with, in a Nero Ughwujabo, chief executive of Croydon BME Forum. Croydon Central MP, Garvin Barwell (BOTTOM RIGHT) Barwell, Croydon Council way that is disproportion- Councillor Tony Newman and Mike Fisher, leader of Croydon Council (MAIN PHOTO)Forum panelists leader Mike Fisher, Chief ate or discriminatory.” Superintendent Dave Mus- ker and the leader of Croy- STRATEGY nity groups to provide an at an eight-year high, and affected adversely, but said investment in any part of don opposition, Labour “exit strategy” from gangs black families in Croydon they were being supported the borough.” councillor Tony Newman. He also justified the need and criminal activities and as twice as likely to be af- by a £1.7 million discre- He highlighted recent Attendees, who felt they for the policy, describing provide access to educa- fected, the focus turned to tionary housing payments improvements and invest- were bearing the brunt of it as a powerful preventa- tion, employment and the impact of the benefits initiative. ments in the north such as austerity-driven reforms, tive tool in the fight against training. cap. Other issues raised in- new schools and the tack- voiced their discontent. crime. Musker urged the Ughwujabo urged the Croydon was one of cluded concerns about ling of antisocial behav- community to consider the community to take owner- four boroughs piloting the exclusion rates, and the iour. REGENERATION “motivation” for his offic- ship of the problem. scheme and Barwell justi- perceived inequalities be- Barwell spoke about the ers who sometimes have to He said: “The BME com- fied his government’s poli- tween the north and south importance of investing in With fiery passion they “knock on a door and tell a munity in Croydon is about cy. He said: “It is wrong to of Croydon. the whole of the borough challenged their leaders on mum, her son did not make 47 per cent and is growing. ask people in work to give Members of the public as he answered questions a range of issues around it.” By any measure we are sig- people out of work a better described the north as be- about the failings of the ri- housing, welfare, polic- As youth and gang crime nificant stakeholders in this standard of living than the ing disproportionately de- ots compensation scheme, ing and crime, education, continued to come un- borough.” He encouraged average worker.” prived, and Ughwujabo which has left some resi- health, regeneration and der the spotlight, Barwell residents to be “part of the Fisher explained that talked about anger from dents still awaiting awards the distribution of servic- stressed that it is not just solution”. the cap addressed abuses parts of the community two years on. es between the north and about policing, but more Councillor Newman and gave the example of a who feel they are being However, the panel rec- south of the borough. about joined-up services pointed out that many of man with a £900 per week “completely neglected”. ognised the progress that As the debate raged, stop that will address root issues the issues on the table were claim, who said that work the borough had made and search, which is now such as domestic violence related and urged the panel will affect his social life. ADMITTED since the devastation of the under review in a consulta- and the destructive envi- not to “take the questions But Newman accused the 2011 riots. They admitted tion ordered by the Home ronment to which some in isolation”. government of sidestep- According to panelist, GP that there are no easy so- Office, emerged as one of children are subjected. ping the issue of rent con- Commissioner Dr Angelo lutions to the range of is- the most contentious mat- He also highlighted the PILOTING trol and the “overwhelming Fernandes, the population sues that were presented at ters. importance of ensuring sums of money” that are in the north is younger and the forum, but agreed that Residents told stories of that those who end up in “If people have got a job paid to landlords on behalf more diverse and therefore “behaving as a commu- heavy-handed and unfair the criminal justice system and a decent house and… of benefit recipients. has unique needs particu- nity” and drawing on the police action. are not just punished, but they have a stake, a part, However, Barwell and larly in terms of health. strengths of the voluntary Activist Kwadwo Kyere- are given tailored support an ownership… then there’s Fisher insisted that the cap He said: “There are pock- sector is an important first waa described the policy for “the underlying issues a much greater chance that has already proven a suc- ets in the south which are step. as “ineffective”, “open to in their lives… to help them there will be a real pride cess, putting a hundred deprived, but there are ma- Ughwujabo stressed the abuse” and “self-defeating”. get back on the right track.” in the community and a claimants in Croydon back jor differences in the north significance of the event He pointed to research Panellist Karen Ruby, resistance to anybody or into work and causing “lots of the borough and we need and urged the community which shows black people manager of Job Centre Plus anything damaging that of people” to withdraw to address that.” to work toward influencing are seven times more likely (JCP), described the organi- community,” he said. their claims. But Fisher stressed: decision-making in Croy- to be subjected to stop and sation’s role in working With damning figures Barwell admitted that “There is no differentiation don and creating positive search, and evidence that with a number of commu- which show homelessness small numbers have been in terms of the amount of change. AUGUST1 - 7, 2013 THE VOICE | 27 BME SUPPLEMENT Croydon Together QUESTION TIME: Members of the audience took the opportunity to air their concerns and swap solutions at BME Forum New policing model unveiled OME OCTOBER a new neighbourhood polic- ing model will be im- plemented in Croydon to target street crime Cand antisocial behaviour. Planned changes include a sig- nificant increase in the number of officers and a drive towards working much more closely with the community. Police teams will be assigned to clusters of wards and given flexi- bility to create a tailored tactic to deal with issues in their locality. The borough, which was one of the key areas affected by the widespread 2011 England riots, has been forced to make cuts in line with austerity measures. But Borough Commander Chief Supt Musker is optimistic about his team’s prospects. He said: “Croydon is a challenging place (ABOVE) to police. With the highest popu- OPTIMISTIC: lation in London, an extremely Borough Commander diverse mix of communities and Chief Superintendent an urban and rural landscape, it David Musker has it all. We’ll be changing the way we operate, which ultimate- ly, should enable us to deliver a better service to local people.
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