Row over claim that Cardiff is capital of crime

Jan 28 2008 Phillip Nifield, South Wales Echo

A BITTER row has blown up over accusations that Cardiff has become a “capital of crime”.

Figures obtained by the city’s Labour group show the crime rate in the capital is higher than similar cities elsewhere in the UK.

Their figures suggest the crime level is 53 per cent higher than that of lowest equivalent city, Coventry.

Recorded crime in Cardiff now accounts for 19.1 per cent of all incidents in Wales – up from 16.7 per cent in 2003-04.

But the ruling Liberal Democrats have accused Labour of using one month’s figures for their own political purposes – and say Cardiff remains a safe city.

Labour group leader Councillor John Sheppard said that in November last year 24.3 crimes per 1,000 population were committed in Cardiff – 29 per cent higher than the average for similar areas.

He said: “Despite Cardiff’s Liberal Democrat administration receiving targeted additional resources from the Home Office, crime has increased in Cardiff in five of the 10 key crime areas and in one area it has remained static. The worst areas were robbery of personal property, up 56 per cent, and assault without injury, up 33 per cent.

“Looking at Cardiff compared with the rest of Wales over the last three years, we have become the crime capital – in 2003-04 crime in Cardiff accounted for 16.7 per cent of all crime in Wales. Now the figure is 19.1 per cent of all crimes. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that in surveys conducted by the council, residents highlight fear of crime as their main concern.”

But Councillor Judith Woodman, executive member for communities and deputy leader, said: “We are not the capital of crime. Far from it and, in fact, Cardiff remains a safe city. I meet regularly with the vice-chancellors of the university and they tell me that many people move to Cardiff because it is safe city with a good environment and beautiful parks.

“We are doing well in meeting targets and these Labour claims are all about trying to achieve political gain and are complete nonsense. It is very easy to use one month’s statistics rather than a year.

“Our Community Safety Partnership has seen a cut in 14 per cent in funding and this will be frozen for the next three years,.” she added.

phillip.nifield@mediawales.co.uk