BASILDON MP Stephen Metcalfe is calling on police to increase the enforcement of the law on low-level drug use and has asked Home Secretary Priti Patel urging her to ensure there is more backing for officers to act locally.

Mr Metcalfe, MP for South Basildon & East Thurrock, says: "One of my key campaigns is to protect our local community, therefore I am liaising with the local police to ensure we are doing enough to crack down on low-level drug use, which is a scourge on our community. I want to protect our values and preserve our way of life and the casual use of drugs is a scourge on our society.

"I commend the work that the Home Office has done to ensure police have the powers to keep our communities safe as well as the work police have already been doing.

"However, the police accept they need to do more to ensure that the law is being enforced on the use of low-level drug use."

"The everyday use of drugs should be cracked down on and I want to work with the police to do more to enforce the law and protect residents from the effects of low level drug use.

"The use of low-level drugs is well known to be a gateway into the use of harder drugs and in turn can escalate into more serious crimes being committed which directly affects our way of life and has an extremely negative effect on communities across the UK as well as locally.

"I have therefore written to the Home Secretary to clarify what their department are doing to help the Police enforce the law."

Responding for Essex Police, Acting Chief Inspector and Basildon divisional commander Dan McHugh said: "Illegal drugs can have a devastating impact on the individual, families and the community itself. My officers are highly skilled and equipped to react to and also think creatively on proactive and preventative measures by working with our professional partners and the community to identify instances of illegal drug activity.

"Over the last few weeks my team have proactively dismantled a number of drug dealing groups within our community through search warrants and arrests. This is only possible with the help of our community talking to us and I'm grateful for those that tell us what's happening where they live, work and study.

"I am also leading on a new initiative with our partners to reduce illegal drug use amongst young people in the district by increasing meaningful intervention and referrals to support services that are available in the area."