If re-elected on 8th June I will continue to support our emergency services.
Locally, Gosport Police have moved into Town Hall and I believe this is genuinely a positive step from the point of view of local people. Senior Police Officers have informed me that there are very real advantages of the police working inside the Town Hall where people who are visiting for a number of reasons, not necessarily involving the police can see Police Officers and communicate with them in a much more integrated way. It also enables officers to work more collaboratively with Gosport Borough Council on issues which fall under the councils remit such as aspects of civil law & antisocial behaviour, as well as the Community Safety Partnership and the Troubled Families Programme.
Furthermore this will make a real difference to their ability to have a meaningful & resilient customer facing presence – the previous police station front desk is only open a couple of mornings per week – the front desk in the Council offices will be significantly more accessible – offering local people a much better service. It will also mean that Hampshire Constabulary can free up money from building & utility costs in order to protect spending on front line policing.
Both the number of Fire Tenders and their type based at Gosport Fire Station and the number of fire crew on call has been improved. There were two options being proposed for Gosport and I favoured Option 2 which replaced the current two Enhanced Vehicles with One Enhanced, One Intermediate Vehicle and One First Response Vehicle. The average first response time was 5 minutes 36 seconds and is now 5 minutes and 17 seconds, an improvement in response times.
Contrary to some rumours, Gosport Ambulance Station has not closed but the local ambulance trust has required their ambulance vehicles to try and strategically locate themselves at parts around the constituency so that they could reach an emergency in any part of the penisula quickly and efficiently.
If re-elected on 8th June I will continue to work to Gosport residents are being served effectively by our emergency services.
