Guide aimed at empowering residents to deal with anti-social behaviour
Ann Keen MP joined Hounslow's Borough Commander David Bilson to launch ‘The anti-social behaviour handbook for the people of Hounslow, Osterley, Gunnersbury, Brentford, Isleworth and Chiswick’.
Rather than teaching residents how to behave badly, the Handbook is a guide which aims to empower residents with knowledge and understanding that there are a range of protective and preventative measures that they can take when dealing with these issues.
It was published using a government grant of £40,000 to Hounslow Council specifically to support tackling anti-social behaviour within the borough.
In relation to the handbook Ann Keen MP said, “I am delighted to be able to offer this easy to read booklet to my constituents. The handbook aims to empower residents with knowledge and understanding that there are a range of protective and preventative measures when dealing with anti-social behaviour issues..
"No one should live in fear. Most communities are safe and prosperous but in some areas people are held to ransom by a minority that behave anti-socially."
However, the handbook has not been welcomed by everyone with the local Green Party accusing their Labour counterparts of using taxpayer’s money to produce and deliver thousands of booklets as a vehicle to put Ann Keen's name and photograph through every letterbox in the constituency ahead of the general election.
"It is dishonest of Ann Keen, because it purports to be what it isn't. It claims to be written by Ann Keen and to be specially aimed at the local community", said Tom Beaton, of Hounslow Green Party.
According to Beaton, an identical booklet has been surfacing all over the country in the past two years and is always titled to suggest that it is of particular local relevance to that MPs constituency.
"It is clearly a booklet produced by the Labour Party centrally, with only the MP's name, photograph and constituency varied so that it can be used as an easy way of promoting the MP locally - but at no cost to the Labour Party or the MP."
The Green Party will be making a formal complaint to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards about Ann Keen's use of her communications expenditure for what they believe is a 'piece of party political publicity'.
December 22, 2009
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