Kevin Hurley, Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey, welcomed residents of Reigate and Banstead to the Borough’s Crime Summit at the Harlequin Theatre, Redhill on Saturday.
Around 60 local people attended the Summit, the first in a series of events that will come to every Borough and District in Surrey over the coming year. Attendees heard from the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner Jeff Harris, Surrey County Councillor Kay Hammond, Reigate & Banstead Borough Councillor Julian Ellacott and Neighbourhood Police Commander Richard Haycock and participated in a Q&A before breaking off into working groups to discuss local priority issues and how they could be tackled in partnership.
Kevin Hurley said: “I am grateful to all of those who played a part in making the Crime Summit a success. A packed hall on a sunny Saturday afternoon shows that residents are taking a zero-tolerance approach to the issues in their area – getting up and doing something, not ignoring the problems.
“I pull no punches with residents over the facts facing public services in Surrey. The funding crisis means that something has to change in the way the police and agencies work. The tide of public services assuming ever more responsibility in society has turned.
“That is reality and there is nothing to be gained from complaining or pining for the old days. The Crime Summits give us as a community the chance to have an honest conversation about where we are and work out together how we can be positive and get to where we want to be.”