London Assembly members have called on the capital’s mayor to establish a taskforce to tackle an increase in arson incidents.
Data from the Met Police shows that all but four London Boroughs – Barnet, Newham, Camden and Tower Hamlets – have seen an increase in arson incidents over the past three years.
In response, the London Assembly Fire Committee has urged Mayor Sadiq Khan to convene the London Fire Brigade, London Boroughs and the Metropolitan Police Service to create an ‘Arson Task Group’.
‘Arson offences can have devastating consequences, and there has been an alarming increase in their number in recent years,’ said the committee chair Zack Polanski AM.
‘In the face of new and emerging risks, including the threat posed by hostile states, it is vital that the mayor and the GLA [Greater London Authority] play their part in tackling the dangers posed to Londoners by arson,' he added.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: 'Nothing is more important to the Mayor than keeping Londoners safe and he continues to invest record amounts from City Hall in the Metropolitan Police Service and the London Fire Brigade to continue building a safer London for everyone.
'The Mayor will consider the London Assembly Fire Committee’s recommendations.'
