REDBRIDGE: Crime falls but council less popular

8:43am Tuesday 14th October 2008

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CRIME has fallen but Redbridge council is less popular with residents, according to a report released by the authority.

The document, which has been published on the council’s website, points to a drop in the overall crime level of 16 per cent including a drop in violent crime of nine per cent.

A summary of official performance assessments shows that in two of the eight categories the council has achieved the top possible score of four, namely for adult social care, and its use of resources.

The rating for its benefits service dropped from four to three this year, but its score for both housing and corporate assessment rose from two to three.

Recycling levels have improved and the report hails the borough’s GCSE students more of whom achieved five passes than in any other London borough.

Less than half of residents surveyed are happy, however, with the way the council is running the borough, a fall on the previous year, and only 44 per cent are satisfied with sports and leisure facilities in the borough.

The number of children in care is less than half the average for England but fewer than three per cent of those children were adopted in the past year.

Council leader Alan Weinberg said: “This has been another great year of achievement for Redbridge Council in which we have responded to what matters most to residents while at the same time delivering value for money for our residents.

"We recognise there is still more to do and we will continue to work with our partners and residents to deliver real long term improvements which will make Redbridge one of the best places to live."