Safety plans for high-rise buildings and speeding drivers – topics raised at PFCC Harlow district public meeting

Speeding drivers, loud noise from modified car exhausts and fire service plans to tackle incidents in high-rise buildings were some of the topics raised at the PFCC Harlow district public meeting on Tuesday 6th May.

The meeting was held at Passmores Academy, Tracyes Road, Harlow, CM18 6JH starting at 7pm.

Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst was joined by Ch Insp Jenna Mirrington-French of Essex Police, ECFRS Group Manager Steve Wintrip and Councillor Joel Charles, Portfolio Holder for Public Protection on Harlow Council.

Attendees at the meeting heard how all crime in Harlow has decreased by 12.3% in the 12 months to March 2025 with Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) incidents down by 17% and Burglary incidents down 37.9% in the same period.

The meeting also heard how since January 2024 the ECFRS fire prevention teams have completed 348 home visits in the Harlow district, with 411 fire safety inspections completed in the same time period.

Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Roger Hirst said, “Being able to hear directly from local communities is invaluable in better understanding concerns and ensure we are working together to make Harlow a safer place.”

The PFCC hosts a public meeting once a year in each of the 14 districts of Essex, allowing residents to raise community safety matters directly with the panel. This is part of the ongoing PFCC Essex engagement schedule which has directly engaged with more than 5,000 Essex residents in the past 12 months.

The next PFCC public meeting is the public meeting for Tendring district, which is taking place on Wednesday 21st May at Clacton Town Hall, Station Rd, Clacton-on-Sea CO15 1SE at 7pm.