Spring 2022

LOCAL COMMENT
MP HELEN GRANT
Rural Crime
Roundtable
Weald of Kent
residents
may recall
a campaign
I launched
in Cranbrook in July 2021
to address rural crime
and antisocial behaviour,
working alongside the police,
local councillors and other
stakeholders. Work continues in
that mission and most recently
our attentions have been focused
on one particular group of
people who are being seriously
affected – our Wealden farmers.
A special roundtable meeting
was held at the end of January,
instigated by Marden farmer and
borough councillor Claudine
Russell, and hosted by me and
my neighbouring Kent MP
Helen Whately. Together with
40 people from the police,
the council and local farmers
all from the Weald of Kent,
“When asked to leave, they were very
aggressive, refused to go and threatened
violent recriminations from the hands of their
family if they were reported”
we gathered to hear of their
experiences and to work on how
to tackle the issues.
A typical incident was
described by one farmer who
confronted two men who were
pheasant poaching on her land.
One had a shotgun, the other
a catapult loaded with a ball
bearing, both accompanied by
a menacing Staffordshire bull
terrier. When asked to leave,
they were very aggressive,
refused to go and threatened
violent recriminations from the
hands of their family if they
were reported.
When she did call the police,
the two of them paid no heed to
possible consequences, knowing
that it would take at least an
hour for an officer to turn up – if
at all. The consensus from all
famers at the meeting was that
the 101 number was useless for
these circumstances and 999 is
not much better.
Other issues raised included
the theft of farm equipment
and regular fly tipping using
vehicles known to have no
insurance.
By way of a response, Police
and Crime Commissioner
Matthew Scott said that 195
more police officers were being
recruited for Kent, all of them
going onto ‘The Beat’, and that
every ward will have a named
police officer attached.
The Rural Task Force will also
be expanded, and 101 wait times
will be reduced by increasing
resources and investment in the
call centres. The PCC further
pledged to hold the police to
account on any crimes that were
not adequately followed up.
These actions will benefit the
whole local rural community,
not just farmers.
By way of some immediate
remedial action, I have written
to Edward Argar MP, Minister
of State at the Ministry
of Justice, to explore how
existing legal deterrents can be
reinforced, perhaps with heavier
sentencing, and seeking the
re-categorisation of catapults
as offensive weapons, to allow
police a right of confiscation
among other things.
If readers of Cake magazine
witness or suffer such crimes
and behaviour, please report
it. If there’s no follow-up let
me have your crime reference
number and I will take it up with
the PCC. For more guidance
have a look at the back page of
my leaflet, first published in July
2021) here www.helengrant.
org/news/cranbrook-antisocialbehaviour-leaflet
20 The Cake • Spring 2023