Question
Chart Way is a major pedestrian route into central Horsham, but its street lighting is operated by the owner of an adjacent office block that was recently purchased by a venture capital company. Unfortunately, the company in question has refused to turn on the lights or respond to any inquiry from councillors or my office, despite the fear felt by women and girls—and, indeed, the danger it creates—as the nights draw in. What avenues do we have to address this problem; can the Minister offer any assistance? We just do not seem to have any powers.
Answer
The hon. Member is absolutely right that women and girls need to feel safe in public spaces. We are going further on this, with a cross-Government ministerial board—both the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Transport are part of it—and I would be happy to work with him and other Departments to ensure that we get this right.25% vibes
Verdict: RED (5/100)
The reply does not answer the question about getting street lighting on Chart Way in Horsham repaired when a private office owner controls it. It instead covers women and girls' safety in public spaces and a cross-government board. The only related line is a general offer to work with the MP and other departments, with no concrete route or action named, so the person who asked would most likely need to ask again.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What avenues are available to the local council and MP to address the non-operation of street lighting on Chart Way, Horsham, which is controlled by the owner of an adjacent office block. | Not Addressed | Generic MISREADS QUESTION | The reply discusses women and girls feeling safe in public spaces and a cross-government ministerial board, but says nothing about the council's or MP's avenues for getting street lighting on Chart Way, Horsham, repaired when it is controlled by a private office owner. |
| Whether the Minister can offer any assistance in resolving the non-operation of street lighting on Chart Way, Horsham. | Partially Addressed | Hedged MISREADS QUESTION | The only nearby statement is a general offer to 'work with him and other Departments to ensure that we get this right', which gestures at assistance but is not tied to the Chart Way street lighting issue and names no concrete action. The rest of the reply concerns a different topic. |