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# Policing minister visits Ipswich to discuss town centre crime
- URL: https://www.ipswich.co.uk/policing-minister-visits-ipswich-to-discuss-town-centre-crime/
- Published: 2025-01-14T15:50:48.000Z
- Updated: 2026-03-16T15:25:36.000Z
- Description: Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson visited Ipswich today to meet with local businesses and police about tackling retail crime and anti-social behaviour. The visit follows an invitation from Ipswich MP Jack Abbott to discuss town centre regeneration.
- Author: Oliver Rouane-Williams
- Tags: News, Elected leaders and local democracy, Crime, #article, Jack Abbott, Neil MacDonald, #Import 2026-03-16 14:45

**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

![Jack Abbott, Dame Diana Johnson and Neil MacDonald](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/1e/291e4b7f-e551-4458-b546-61963954b22f/content/images/2026/03/1736869597-jack-neil-diana-johnson-edited-2.png)

Jack Abbott, Dame Diana Johnson and Neil MacDonald Photo: Jack Abbott (Jack Abbott)

**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

**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.

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