Knife crime strategy to be considered for Ipswich

A council has agreed to explore a knife crime strategy after a councillor said he had found 12in (30cm) blades in children's playgrounds.

On Thursday, Suffolk County Council unanimously supported a motion calling for an investigation into the benefits of the strategy in Ipswich.

Sam Murray, a Conservative member who represents the town's Castle Hill ward, brought the motion forward after previously saying the town was "known for having more bleed kits than defibrillators".

Haverhill councillor Joe Mason recalled the fatal stabbing of Harley Barfield, 16, in January last year and said he had found knives in playgrounds.

Murray told the meeting she was aware of armed robberies in her ward's shops, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"Imagine kissing your child goodbye in the morning, heading off to work and not knowing if you'll make it home safely. Should that be the reality of someone working in the Co-op?"

Mason told the meeting: "Communities are the strongest when they're working together toward a common aim – everybody has a part to play. As an avid litter picker, I've pulled 12in blades out of children's playgrounds.

"Suffolk is a safe county, but we mustn't be complacent because [knife crime] is out there, even in our quiet communities."

Murray had brought forward a similar motion to Ipswich Borough Council in September, but it was turned down due to a similar strategy that was already in place.

Opposition spokesperson Penny Otton said the Green, Liberal Democrat and Independent Group at the county council supported the motion, but she called for specific attention to be given to several aspects of knife crime, including education, social inclusion, poverty and the ease of acquiring knives.

Other suggestions were that a successful pilot scheme in Ipswich could lead to others being set up around the county.

A meeting of the county council's Safer Stronger Communities Board will be held in March 2025 to investigate the benefits of an Ipswich-specific scheme.

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