The grassroots figure leading efforts to clamp down on anti-social behaviour in Bedford town centre has denied having any political ambitions, and said he is “OK” with the problems being moved elsewhere.
And he said he will be extending the project – originally planned to run throughout August – for another month.
Speaking at a packed community meeting at Real Coffee on Bedford High Street on Thursday night (7 August), Peter McCormack said: “I’ve got zero interest in becoming a politician. I don’t want your job [Bedford mayor Tom Wootton], it’s the hardest job in the world.”
Mr McCormack said the first private security patrols had been a success, though he admitted being “very worried” about the impact they could have on the town’s image.
“But the overwhelming feedback to the security staff themselves is that all day long they had people coming up to them and thanking them,” he said.
“They were a deterrent, and as a deterrent, they worked. Usually when they approached people who were committing anti-social behaviour, they would move on.
“Only on a couple of occasions did the patrols deal with a little bit of aggression, but they didn’t have any conflict. I thought it was very successful.”
Mr McCormack added that “a lot of people” said they felt safer, that there was nobody taking drugs, and there was no visible anti-social behaviour in one particular area.
He also said the team had responded to a suspected heart attack.
However, he acknowledged that the patrols had only operated in a limited part of the town centre.
“I understand that there are concerns around the bus station, so one of our patrols this Saturday is going to be based there,” he said.
Attendees at the meeting raised concerns that the private patrols were simply displacing the issues to other parts of Bedford.
In response, Mr McCormack said: “I’m OK with that under the idea that I think you have to protect the town centre first and foremost, because it’s the economic and social hub of the town.”
When pressed by a member of the public about the impact on other communities, he responded: “So you’re OK with the people here being impacted, but not other people? That’s called nimbyism.
“Your problem is where the issue is, you’d rather it be contained in the town centre. People in those [other] communities are welcome to also employ private security and move it from there.
“If the town centre dies, bringing it back will be very difficult. But at the moment, we still have great shops, great people, and so if we protect the town centre, that’s a good thing.
“But this is going to take time, it’s not going to be fixed in five weeks.
“[So] I’m going to extend it for another month.”
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
