As Staffordshire County Council pledges to prioritise community safety, some residents are asking whether enough is being done in towns like Stone to deter crime and boost visible policing.
A renewed focus on community safety has been promised by Staffordshire County Council, with newly appointed cabinet member Anthony Screen calling for urgent improvements in how police respond to the public and protect the vulnerable.
But while the announcement made at a recent Police, Fire and Crime Panel meeting might sound like welcome news, it raises a key question for people in Stone, do you actually feel safe?
“Getting the basics right”
Mr Screen didn’t hold back in his comments to the panel, pointing to what he sees as a mismatch in priorities.
“We’re still not getting the basics right,” he said, “yet we’re spending more than £20 million on a firearms training centre in Stafford.
Feeling safe in your own home, at work and in the community is what makes people want to live and visit Staffordshire, and this is key to helping the county prosper.”
The Peel report, a national inspection of police forces, showed although Staffordshire was improving (2023-2025) three areas were still rated as “requires improvement” – in responding to the public, investigating crime and protecting vulnerable people.
“These are three fundamental areas of policing,” Mr Screen added. “We need to do more.”
Local concerns in Stone
For residents in Stone, it’s not an abstract issue. There’s been growing concern in recent months about the visibility of police officers in the town. While serious crime remains relatively low compared to urban areas, residents have frequently voiced concerns about anti-social behaviour, youth nuisance, drug-related activity and theft, with many saying they rarely see officers on patrol.
What would help?
The new cabinet lead says he wants to see “community safety at the heart” of everything the council and its partners do. That includes working more closely with Staffordshire Police and making sure the issues that matter most to residents are actually being heard.
But talk is one thing. People in Stone will be looking for:
- A more visible police presence, especially at key times in the day and night
- Faster response times and better communication with the public
- Support for neighbourhood policing teams who know the local area
- Serious attention to crime affecting vulnerable residents and small businesses
Is there a disconnect?
There’s a growing feeling that communities like Stone are being overlooked in favour of bigger infrastructure projects or city-centre resources. And while a firearms training centre might benefit the force overall, residents are asking whether that investment trickles down to their streets.
The county’s new safety lead may have struck a chord, but it remains to be seen whether his words will result in real change, and whether the issues raised in the PEEL report will finally be addressed.
For now, the bigger question still stands – how safe do you feel in Stone?
