Milton Keynes Council Deputy Leader and Prospective Parliamentary Candidate has today announced a package of measures to help tackle knife crime in the city.

On Wednesday night at the MK Council meeting Cllr Hannah O’Neill, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Community Safety, spoke expressing the council’s deepest sympathy to the families and friends of the two young victims. She also expressed a desire to work to find solutions to reduce violence across the city.

Today Cllr O’Neill has revealed that the council will be launching a number of initiatives to help reduce violence and knife crime, including:

• A proposal to establish a cross-party “MK Knife Crime and Youth Violence Task Force”, to work with young people, the police and communities to establish the causes of knife crime in MK and propose possible measures to reduce violence and gang involvement;
• Up to £100,000 to fund initiatives and pilots on the task force recommendations;
• £80,000, match funded by Thames Valley Police, to fund two extra community police officers to do outreach work in MK Schools;
• The appointment of Cllr Lauren Townsend in a newly created role of Youth and Anti-Violence Champion for MK Council;
• A review of youth services and public health provision and funding to support a reduction in anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Hannah O’Neill said: “The tragic loss of life last week is shocking and saddening. The whole council would like to pass on our deepest thoughts to the family and friends of the victims.”

She continued: “Violent crime, especially the rise in carrying weapons like knives, and why young people are getting involved in these activities is something we need to tackle on our streets. That is why today I am announcing a number of initiatives to reduce knife crime and gang violence, including a task force to look into the causes and suggest solutions; an initial £100,000 to help implement any recommendations, a joint-initiative with Thames Valley Police for more officers to work in schools; and the appointment of a Youth and Anti-violence Champion for MK Council to help drive this work forward.”

Cllr Lauren Townsend, newly appointed Youth and Anti-Violence Champion for MK Council, said: “After the violence at the weekend so many local people have expressed a desire to help and do something. Many of these are young people themselves. I am pleased Cllr O’Neill has asked me to step into this new role to work with young people and within our communities, bringing people together to find real solutions to these problems and stop violence in our city.”