Amanda Martin

No. I brought the residents, the council, the police and other services together in a meeting at my office. We agreed a plan of action. The perpetrators were dealt with and, importantly, the problem has not returned—but why did it take so much effort? Why should residents have to reach the end of their tether before agencies sit down together and sort things out? This is not an isolated problem. Across Portsmouth, concerns are growing about the antisocial use of electric bikes and e-scooters, as others have noted. Residents are worried about vehicles being ridden, the speeds they are ridden at and their use in criminality, putting pedestrians and other road users at risk. I warmly welcome the Government’s action on named neighbourhood police officers and on strengthening powers to seize and crush, without a warning first, such vehicles being used antisocially. We need those powers to be used consistently, however, and we need a public campaign on the legal and illegal use of e-bikes and scooters, and to stop their purchase in the first place. That brings me to respect orders. I welcome their introduction. They give the police, councils and social landlords additional tools to tackle persistent local offenders, including restricting access to particular areas and being able to require individuals to change their behaviour, but such powers are useful only if they are used. The Minister previously told the House that police in Hemel Hempstead had identified 30 potential cases ready for the introduction of respect orders, and we have now seen the first orders granted in Gloucestershire. That is action—but can the Minister tell me how many applications have been made by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight constabulary, and how many of those have been granted? What practical support is being given to ensure that our local police and councils make full use of their powers? Ultimately, this is about people being able to sleep peacefully, feel safe when walking down the street and have confidence that when they report antisocial behaviour, someone will do something about it. It should not be the case that our residents have to shout louder than the perpetrators before someone listens. New powers must mean action—and safer streets and communities—not simply strong words.