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Deputy mayor says police funding needs to increase

BBC/Gemma Dillon Woman with shaved head sits in a chair. She is wearing a black suit jacket over a blue and black blouse. She is sitting behind a radio microphone.BBC/Gemma Dillon
Alison Lowe, West Yorkshire's deputy mayor for policing, answered questions at BBC Radio Leeds

West Yorkshire's deputy mayor for policing says the chancellor needs to give forces across the country more money if they are to halve violence against women and girls.

Labour's Alison Lowe has been answering questions on Message the Mayor on BBC Radio Leeds.

She has also been talking about crossbow laws, tackling anti-social behaviour, and "unacceptable" delays into domestic abuse-related deaths.

Read our takeaways from the interview below or listen to the full interview here.

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Police forces have £500m funding gap

"Over the next three years, that is the national deficit for policing - irrespective of the money the government are giving us. And that's because of the cuts that have happened, and the underfunding."

Last week, West Yorkshire's Chief Constable John Robbins signed a letter to The Times, saying years of cuts had left forces overstretched and working in "broken" buildings with "outdated" technology.

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A textured purple circle and plain purple pill-shaped oblong with curved edges sitting next to each other on a line, which gradually fades across the screen from left to right. The words "Radio Leeds" are written in the oblong.

Death review timescales are unrealistic

"I just don't think six months is enough. We should be saying it is a minimum of 12 months, just to manage some of those expectations of the families."

The deputy mayor was asked about today's BBC News story, which suggests just 1% of reviews into domestic abuse-related deaths are being completed within six months - the target set by the government.

Lowe says the government is creating a new "oversight board", to help speed up the process of reviewing these reports.

A single textured purple circle situated to the right of the screen. A thin purple line gradually fades in from left to right meeting the circle.
A textured purple circle and plain purple pill-shaped oblong with curved edges sitting next to each other on a line, which gradually fades across the screen from left to right. The words "Radio Leeds" are written in the oblong.

Crossbows should be licensed - like guns

"I'm hoping they (the government) equate crossbows with guns. So you can't get a crossbow unless you go through a process, you're registered, you're licensed, all the rest of it."

Lowe says she doesn't know why anyone would want a crossbow and personally thinks they should be banned altogether - but recognises a "tiny number" of people use them for sport.

In April, two people were injured in a crossbow attack along the route of the popular Otley Run pub crawl in Leeds.

A single textured purple circle situated to the right of the screen. A thin purple line gradually fades in from left to right meeting the circle.
A textured purple circle and plain purple pill-shaped oblong with curved edges sitting next to each other on a line, which gradually fades across the screen from left to right. The words "Radio Leeds" are written in the oblong.

Tackling anti-social behaviour takes time

"West Yorkshire Police have got 60 courses, all age appropriate, from [school] years one to 13.

"They teach children about how to stay safe, about how anti-social behaviour can impact them and about how they can become perpetrators or victims."

But the deputy mayor says investing in lessons in schools today is a "long-term culture choice", and it could be 10 years before people see big benefits.

A single textured purple circle situated to the right of the screen. A thin purple line gradually fades in from left to right meeting the circle.
A textured purple circle and plain purple pill-shaped oblong with curved edges sitting next to each other on a line, which gradually fades across the screen from left to right. The words "Radio Leeds" are written in the oblong.

Fly tipping is a massive issue

"It's a huge issue and it does lead to crime in communities, because where you've got a bit of green space that's been desecrated by fly tipping it means more people dump stuff, crime happens, kids start congregating and fires get lit."

Concerns have been raised recently that the closure of rubbish tips, in places such as Birstall and Bradford, will lead to more waste being dumped at the side of the road.

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