I have been in close touch with our Borough Police Commander in recent weeks to follow up constituents’ concerns about crime and community safety in and around Hornchurch after a series of high-profile incident.

After calling for additional patrols in Hornchurch Town Centre and Ardleigh Green to provide a deterrent, I was assured more patrols are being completed in the area, including with schools officers, and they are looking at knife carriage and use as a priority over the coming year.

Every four weeks our police teams are reviewing all the local hotspots in detail to make sure they are deploying resources to the places at highest risk of harm. After the government's recruitment drive for extra police officers, all the neighbourhood policing teams across Hornchurch & Upminster are fully staffed and we are hoping to attract extra PCSOs over the next year.

This month, the Prime Minister has launched a strategy to bear down on anti-social behaviour, including tougher punishments, higher fines and a clamp down on drugs. Our local police are sending out warning letters with partners to those committing ASB who may live in council housing stock and may be breaching their tenancy agreements.

I continue my campaign to keep Hornchurch Police Station from closure, our petition now has over 800 signatures. You can sign the petition at www.hornchurchandupminsterconservatives.com/news/stop-mayor-khans-hornchurch-police-station-sale 

Finally, I was delighted to welcome police officers to parliament who worked to save lives as fire raged at Hornchurch care home, Mavis Court, last July. These brave officers began an immediate evacuation as fire ripped through the loft space of the three-storey building and helped elderly residents from their homes - some of whom suffered from dementia as well as sight and hearing loss. It was an honour to host them in Parliament.