Conservative Councillors have proposed an additional £150,000 over the next three years to fund knife crime prevention engagement sessions for all year 5 and 8 students in Milton Keynes.
This proposal is one of the budget amendments tabled by the Conservative Group at tonight’s Budget Full Council.
Last year, a similar amendment was proposed by the Conservative Group and rejected by the Progressive Alliance however as knife crime continues to be a problem across Milton Keynes and an issue that is raised frequently by residents, Conservative Councillors believe it is essential to keep pushing for this integral youth engagement work.
They are asking for the Progressive Alliance to support engagement sessions for every year 5 and 8 student across the City. Research by the Ben Kinsella Trust shows that once a young person reaches year 8, they are four times more likely to believe carrying a knife protects them compared to year 61 thus it is integral that we are proactively engaging directly with these year groups.
Local Conservatives recognise the work achieved by the Knife Angel visit last year and the important initiatives driven by PCC Matthew Barber, including the pilot scheme launched in partnership with MK Youth Offending Team which was aimed at providing interventions for young people arrested under Operation Deter. However, they believe that to combat this serious issue there is more that the Council can be doing.
Cllr David Hopkins, Leader of the Conservative Group and shadow member for Children and Young People, said
“The best way to prevent knife crime is through education. By providing young people with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions, we can empower them to make the right choices when it comes to carrying a knife”.
