Policing minister visits Ipswich to discuss town centre crime

Why it matters: The visit comes as the government introduces new measures to combat retail crime, including making it a specific offence to attack shop workers and removing the £200 prosecution threshold for shoplifting.

The big picture: During the visit, the minister met with:

• Local residents

• Business owners and staff

• Trade union representatives

• Police officers

• Other local stakeholders

What they're saying: Jack Abbott, MP for Ipswich and the Government's East of England Mission Champion, said: "One of my main priorities as an MP is to help revive our town centre and I know that people, rightly, want retail crime and anti-social behaviour tackled as part of that change."

Dame Diana Johnson said: "Around the country, too many town and city centres are being plagued by anti-social behaviour. Add in the wave of shop theft hitting high streets and it is clear that urgent action is needed."

The details: Jack says the government has announced several initiatives that will support town centres like Ipswich, pointing to the:

• Introduction of a "Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee" with named local officers

• New council powers for community right to buy

• Business support measures from the Chancellor's October Budget, including employer National Insurance exemptions for small businesses

• Permanent business rates reduction specifically for shops, pubs and restaurants

On new council powers for community right to buy:

• It remains unclear if or how the council intends to use the new community right to buy powers, especially on vacant properties the council owns

On National Insurance exemptions for small businesses:

• The budget increased the employer NI rate to 15% from April 2025 

• The threshold at which employers pay NI on employee earnings was lowered from £9,100 to £5,000

• The Employment Allowance was increased from £5,000 to £10,500 per year to help smaller businesses

• Many businesses will pay significantly more in National Insurance Contributions

On permanent business rates reduction:

• In 2025/26, the rate of discount will be cut from 75% to 40%, meaning many shops, pubs, and restaurants will see their rates nearly double at a time when many of these businesses face spiralling operating costs

Bottom line: The ministerial visit underscores both opportunities and challenges in Ipswich town centre's regeneration efforts. Though new policing measures aim to tackle town centre crime, local businesses face a mixed picture with the implementation of council powers still unclear, a reduction of business rate relief for shops, pubs and restaurants on the horizon, and increased National Insurance costs for many employers.