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Ref: 433/07 16 November 2007
Bringing Youth And Community Together To Cut Crime
A social experiment backed by local residents, youth workers, police and local government officers has seen the crime rate in Nantwich’s Grosvenor slashed by nearly 18% in just 12 months.
Reductions in anti-social behaviour, criminal damage, vandalism and yobbery has been hailed as a major success by the organisers of the Crewe and Nantwich Neighbourhood Action Project. For other neighbouring areas have seen increases in crime by as much as 35% while Crewe and Nantwich Borough has seen a reduction of 1% over the last three years.
Martin Forshaw, Community Safety Officer was appointed to run the Neighbourhood Action Project Management when Grosvenor ward was highlighted for its problems. A pilot scheme led to the introduction of neighbourhood management and increased community engagement.
He explained, “Serious issues to be addressed included higher than expected crime levels, social and environmental deprivation, high unemployment especially among adults with dependent children, and high numbers of youth offenders. “
The Grosvenor Neighbourhood Action Team, with Martin as project manager, set out to reduce crime and the fear of crime, to increase community involvement in line with Safer and Stronger Communities.
“We established a community based team, developed community involvement, established and supported Local Neighbourhood Action Meetings, promoted and developed activities for young people, supported vulnerable victims, targeted specific offenders and backed physical regeneration of the area,” he said.
The team - sports and community development workers, housing officers, neighbourhood police and community support officers, and youth service workers - built on existing and proposed activities in the area, rather than concentrating on high-budget initiatives and projects and concentrated on improving methods of working together.
A central office base was established at Alexandra Place, Derby Docks, Crewe in a converted ground floor flat. Innovation followed with agencies being brought together to work more effectively on identified projects, such as Smartwater - a crime reduction initiative aimed at 'DNA' property marking - and the development of a ‘drop-in centre’ open to the public and staffed by Police, PCSOs, wardens, social landlords, and County and Borough Council staff.
The Bright Street project, typified the benefit of partnership working.
A crime reduction project it addressed youth disorder, antisocial noise, criminal damage and the fear of crime. generated around a public open space. After consultation with local residents, the installation of fencing, CCTV, alley gates, improved graffiti removal, and the extension of Street sports youth initiative to targeted evenings on the open space were introduced.
Other projects encouraged youths to decide, manage and complete community based projects with the hope that they tackle other projects such as the Prince’s Trust and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
Mr Forshaw says the pilot has made a real impact, “Of the five local regeneration wards, Grosvenor has performed best with a 17.6 percent decrease in crime in just 12 months. It shows all the time and effort invested by so many has paid dividends.
“We’re confident the success will continue with the team developing in confidence and strength by learning more about each other's roles,” he said.
ENDS
Note To Editors: Further details available from Cheshire County Council Community Safety Officer Martin Forshaw. Tel: 01625 374042 or 07825 781937 (mobile).
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