• CAMDEN is not only awash with tragic and fatal knife attacks, it is also awash with “discussions” on what to do. But it is light on actions.

The council has set up a task force and other groups have held meetings. One important line of action is to increase the amount of preventive youth work with younger people, that is to divert them away from knife crime, gang culture and drug dealing.

In Gospel Oak two organisations have been doing just this five nights a week and during the school holidays. Not only that, they funded some 80 per cent (from charitable sources) of the cost of a new sports and a youth centre which opened in 2014.

The two organisations raise some £200,000 a year from charities for running costs and also receive £18k from the council. However, the council charge a rent of over £26,000 a year on the buildings.

If the organisations did not have to pay this sum they could employ more expert and experienced staff and increase provision for young people considerably and very quickly.

This was raised at a meeting with councillors in attendance following the tragic events of last Tuesday. This would seem to be a very simple action and beats having yet even more “consultations” and “conversations”. Perhaps we could have a speedy response.

Much more than this must be done, of course – a borough wide strategy and one for localities like Gospel Oak. However, we need rapid action before more of our young people are killed. We cannot police our way out of this problem.

MICK FARRANT
Gospel Oak, NW5