Westminster Council unveils a £3 million plan to deploy an 18-strong Police and Council Tasking Team and a six-person Street Based Intervention unit, boosting visible policing in Victoria and central Westminster through multi-agency collaboration and CCTV.
Westminster’s policing approach is no longer just a talking point but a tangible expansion of local enforcement. The council has funded nine officers joining the Police and Council Tasking Team (PACT), creating an 18-strong, highly visible unit aimed at tackling persistent offenders and high‑impact anti-social behaviour in crime hotspots, including Victoria. The £3 million investment, described by Council Leader Adam Hug as a “significant investment” in reducing anti-social behaviour and crime that affects communities, also underlines a broader shift toward more visible policing in central Westminster. Deputy Leader Aicha Less added that visible policing provides reassurance, noting the team will be on foot or on bikes in the heart of the communities they serve. The plan sits within Westminster’s Safer Westminster Partnership (SWP), a multi‑agency framework guided by a three‑year strategy and annual action plans. Industry data and council strategy emphasise a data‑driven approach to prioritise interventions and to co‑ordinate work across policing, fire, probation and health services to protect vulnerable residents and boost confidence in the area.
The Westminster initiative is part of a broader, multi‑layered push to counter street‑level crime and disorder. In addition to the nine new officers, the council’s wider enforcement ecosystem includes substantial CCTV coverage and city inspection resources designed to support rapid responses and long‑term interventions. Westminster’s safety strategy highlights that officers are embedded in communities and that the CCTV network, together with City Inspectors, forms a visible reassurance for residents and visitors alike. The aim is to co‑ordinate multi‑agency responses, share information quickly, and backstop enforcement with support services for those in need. The wider SWP framework and the council’s public‑facing safety messaging frame these changes as a coordinated, resident‑facing effort rather than standalone policing actions.
Looking further ahead, Westminster has begun rolling out targeted, street‑level interventions to complement the new policing team. A six‑person Street Based Intervention unit is being deployed to tackle chronic street‑based anti‑social behaviour, initially in Victoria. The team brings together City Inspectors, rough sleeping coordinators and an anti‑social behaviour caseworker and can issue community protection notices and warnings, with civil powers available to ban individuals from particular areas under defined conditions. This initiative, announced by Westminster Council in January 2025, is designed to deliver immediate, visible enforcement while coordinating longer‑term support for vulnerable residents in tandem with the police, outreach partners and local business groups. In parallel, Westminster Labour Councillors have signalled a broader crackdown on crime in the West End, highlighting new resources including additional police officers funded by the Mayor and a stepped‑up enforcement regime designed to relieve pressure on safer neighbourhood teams. The combined effect is a stepped approach to safety that blends street‑level enforcement with investment in technology and multi‑agency collaboration.
From Reform UK’s perspective, this approach confirms that Labour’s management of crime is too cautious and overly bureaucratic. The party argues that genuine security comes from more frontline policing, faster decision‑making, and direct funding to empower the officers on the beat rather than layering in committees and multi‑agency coordination that can slow responses. Reform UK insists that councils and police must work with minimal red tape to deliver immediate results, with tougher penalties for persistent offenders and clearer, measurable outcomes. In this view, the Westminster example should be a blueprint for a more assertive, locally led model of safety rather than a gradual consolidation of power within a sprawling, centrally influenced framework. The message is clear: if you want lasting calm on the streets, you need more boots on the pavement, swifter interventions, and a straightforward, accountable plan that keeps communities protected now.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/westminster-council-hire-own-police-officers-central-london-crime-b1244077.html – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/westminster-council-hire-own-police-officers-central-london-crime-b1244077.html – Westminster City Council announced it would hire its own Police officers for the first time to tackle crime in London. Nine officers will join the council’s Police and Council Tasking Team (PACT), working alongside other enforcement teams to identify persistent offenders. The £3 million initiative will create an 18-strong, highly visible presence in crime hotspots such as Victoria. Council Leader Adam Hug described the move as a significant investment in reducing anti-social behaviour and the crime that affects communities. Deputy Leader Aicha Less said visible policing provides reassurance, with the team operating on foot or bicycles in heart of communities they serve.
- https://www.westminster.gov.uk/news/new-front-line-team-tackle-street-based-anti-social-behaviour-asb-westminster – Westminster City Council announced a new front-line unit to tackle street-based anti-social behaviour (ASB). The six-person Street Based Intervention team brings together City Inspectors, rough sleeping coordinators, and ASB caseworkers, and is deployed to areas with chronic ASB, initially Victoria. The team can issue community protection notices and warnings, and may use civil powers to ban individuals from areas under certain conditions. It will collaborate with partner organisations, business improvement districts, outreach workers and the police. The move aims to deliver immediate, visible enforcement while coordinating longer-term support for vulnerable residents, improving safety and community confidence across Westminster city centre.
- https://www.westminster.gov.uk/leisure-libraries-and-community/crime-and-community-safety/safer-westminster-partnership – Westminster City Council operates the Safer Westminster Partnership (SWP) alongside the Metropolitan Police, London Fire Brigade, National Probation Service and the Integrated Care Board to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour across the city. The SWP is governed by a three-year strategy with annual action plans, guided by an evidence-based understanding of local risk factors. The partnership focuses on protecting vulnerable communities, improving confidence, and coordinating responses across agencies. It uses data from strategic assessments to prioritise interventions in the West End and surrounding areas, and emphasises joint problem-solving, preventive work, and timely information sharing between agencies and local residents today.
- https://www.westminster.gov.uk/news/keeping-westminster-safe – Westminster City Council states it works closely with the police to keep Westminster safe. Officers are embedded in communities, collaborating with residents, faith groups and community organisations to respond to needs. The council references its CCTV network and presence of City Inspectors as visible reassurance, and notes plans to train and coordinate with the Metropolitan Police Service. It emphasises reporting hate crimes, rapid removal of offensive material, and ongoing safety messaging through police channels. The page underlines the council’s safety agenda as multi-agency and resident-facing, reinforcing that Westminster benefits from a combined local authority and police approach across communities today.
- https://www.westminsterlabour.org.uk/issues/2025/07/23/labour-crack-down-on-crime-with-80-new-police-officers-for-the-west-end/ – Westminster Labour Councillors announced a crackdown on crime in Westminster’s West End, citing additional police officers funded by the Mayor and new council initiatives. The post highlights that the Metropolitan Police will recruit 80 extra officers to patrol high‑crime areas, with Westminster asserting it will complement its own measures such as CCTV expansion, street-based enforcement teams and a city inspectors programme. The statement quotes council leaders emphasising safer streets, reduced theft and better support for residents and businesses, and notes Westminster’s ongoing role in lobbying for additional policing and resources to improve safety across Westminster and beyond for lasting change.
- https://www.london.gov.uk/media-centre/mayors-press-release/mayor-joins-met-neighbourhood-officers-in-central-london-who-are-working-to-bear-down-on-robbery-and-make-city-safer-for-everyone – London City Hall states it will support stronger policing in central London in collaboration with the Met and local partners. The press release describes data-driven targeting, increased patrols, and the use of live facial recognition in certain operations to deter criminals. It quotes Westminster representatives emphasising the importance of visible policing and cross-agency work to reduce robberies and protect communities. The document situates Westminster within a broader strategy to improve safety in the West End, with partnerships involving businesses and community groups, and stresses rapid, visible action to reassure residents and visitors too.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
6
Notes:
The narrative is current in the Evening Standard item but is largely a re-reporting of material already published by Westminster City Council and local Labour communications. Westminster published a council announcement about a new Street-Based Intervention team on 14 January 2025 (
Westminster City Council press release). Additional council/Labour posts referencing expanded enforcement activity and extra officers appeared in January–July 2025 (
Westminster Labour pages: Feb/Jun/Jul 2025). Because key elements (six‑person Street Based Intervention team, PSPOs, CCTV expansion) were publicly announced on 14 January 2025 and discussed repeatedly afterwards, the story is not novel. Where the Standard claims nine Met officers funded by the council and a £3m taskforce, I could not find an earlier public council press release explicitly stating the exact ‘nine Met officers funded by the council for PACT’ phrasing — but very similar initiatives and dates were published more than 7 days earlier (). Conclusion: recycled/republished material with some recent framing; freshness reduced but updated reporting on the council’s actions justifies partial credit.
Quotes check
Score:
5
Notes:
Some quotes match previously published local council / Labour communications and local reporting (e.g. statements by Councillor Adam Hug and Cllr Aicha Less praising visible policing and CCTV). I found the council’s 14 Jan 2025 announcement and subsequent Labour communications (Jan–Jul 2025) that include overlapping language about the Street Based Intervention team and visible policing ( identical or near‑identical wording appears across multiple releases). I could not locate an earlier verbatim match for every single quote printed in the Standard piece (some lines appear to be new paraphrases), but multiple lines (about reassurance from visible policing and investment in CCTV/PSPOs) are clearly recycled from council messaging. If the article claims exclusive quotes not attributed to new interviews, treat them as likely reused or drawn from council statements.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The core narrative derives from official, verifiable actors: Westminster City Council (official press release 14 Jan 2025) and local Labour councillor communications (Jan–Jul 2025). These are public, attributable bodies with an online presence ( council website, Labour ward pages). The Evening Standard is an established news outlet that appears to be re-reporting those announcements. Risk: much of the story echoes council publicity and party communications, which introduces an element of promotional framing. No evidence found that the principal organisations named (Westminster City Council, Metropolitan Police, Mayor’s office) are fabricated. Overall reliability: moderate–high for factual claims about announced programmes; moderate caution for partisan framing (Reform UK commentary in the piece should be treated as opinion).
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
The claims are plausible and consistent with other verifiable actions and announcements: a six‑person Street Based Intervention team was announced on 14 Jan 2025; PSPO consultations, CCTV expansion and additional Mayoral/Met investment in neighbourhood policing have independent corroboration (e.g. Mayor/London City Hall announcements April–May 2025 and local Labour communications). The precise claim that Westminster is funding nine Met officers to join a new 18‑person PACT (and that this is the first time Westminster has funded its own Met officers) is not fully traceable to a single, explicit council press release in search results — the Standard article may be combining council announcements, Labour messaging and recent Met/Mayoral funding news. If the article presents new financial figures (the £3m sum) or staffing totals as exclusive council disclosures, editors should check council budget papers or an explicit council statement for that exact breakdown. Lack of a direct quote or link for the detailed financial/staffing breakdown in council releases increases the need for verification.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative aligns with verifiable, official communications from Westminster City Council (publication: 14 January 2025) and subsequent local Labour briefings (Jan–Jul 2025), and with wider London policing funding announcements (Mayor/City Hall). 
Major risks: the Evening Standard report largely repackages earlier council material ( recycled content), some quotes and phrasing echo council/Labour messaging ( potential reuse of promotional language), and the specific staffing/£3m funding phrasing (nine Met officers joining an 18‑person PACT) should be checked against an explicit council budget statement or formal Met confirmation (
verification recommended). Overall: the factual core (new Street Based Intervention team, PSPOs, CCTV expansion, multi‑agency approach) checks out; the piece is therefore acceptable to publish with the caveat that editors confirm the exact staffing and funding breakdowns directly with Westminster City Council or Metropolitan Police for final accuracy ().
