Nationally, councils have had to bring out a strategy to tackle crime and disorder.
Below, what one borough has done, after consultation with residents.
The Ellesmere Port and Neston Community Safety Partnership has published its strategy document which outlines how its members will work together to address public concerns and reduce crime during 2005-2008.
The strategy is based on the findings of a recent survey conducted with the borough’s People’s Panel – a group of 1,300 residents who reflect the borough in terms of factors like age, ethnicity and job status.
Violent crime was noted as the most important issue by 63 per cent of the panel, followed by drug abuse and misuse (18 per cent). Panel members identified youth nuisance as the issue most in need of action with almost half of respondents feeling that this has become worse over the past three years. Meanwhile, one of the partnership’s priorities from their last strategy, burglary, came out as the issue that had most improved over the last three years.
All of the information gathered has been assessed, the council says, and, as a result, the partnership says it will concentrate on the following issues over the next three years:
Prolific and priority offenders – to target those who cause the most crime or create maximum disorder.
Anti-social behaviour – to reduce the number of incidents, particularly among young people.
Domestic abuse – to reduce the overall rate of abuse and the number of repeat victims, as well as offering support to victims and their families.
Alcohol – to reduce the impact made by alcohol misuse on crime and the fear of crime.
Drugs – to reduce the amount of substance misuse in the borough.
Environment – to provide and maintain high quality public spaces to help reduce crime and the fear of crime.
Fear of crime – to increase public reassurance and reduce the fear of crime.
What they say
Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council’s Community Safety Co-ordinator Paul Daniels said: “The audit that we carry out every three years is an excellent opportunity to assess the effectiveness of the partnership’s work and establish the future direction that we should take. Yet again, people have provided us with a lot of valuable information that we are now able to act on.”
Copies of the full strategy document are available on the council’s website:
