North Wiltshire Partnership

Although Wiltshire is one of the safest places in the country in which to live, work and visit, crime and community safety issues are a high priority for our local communities. When working together to make sure that people feel safe, it will be important to identify ways in which alleviate a public fear of crime and anti-social behaviour alongside crime reduction measures. The countywide strategy for Crime Disorder and Drugs misuse Reduction sets out clear priorities for working together to reduce crime and the fear of crime.

Crime and community protection extends to community safety issues such as alcohol-related crime, vandalism, litter and the provision of support and facilities for our young people.

Key issues

Key issues identified during community consultation included

• Fear of crime
• Anti social behaviour
• Perceived lack of Police presence
• The perceptions of young people by other members of the community is often negative
• Not enough for young people to do in towns and villages
• Worries about drugs and alcohol
• Young people have the highest levels of fear of crime

What we will do

North Wiltshire Partnership will work with the Community Safety Partnership and others on

• Supporting the implementation of actions in the countywide strategy for Crime Disorder and Drugs misuse Reduction
• Supporting solutions to anti social behaviour
• Providing more opportunities and facilities for young people
• Reducing the fear of crime

What is already happening

A wide range of groups and organisations are delivering work that contributes to improvements in this theme some examples include

• Wiltshire Police are working with partners to increase the number of Police Community Support Officers in North Wiltshire
• Wiltshire Police will increase activity against drug suppliers
• North Wiltshire Community Safety Partnership are working together with all partners to reduce crime in North Wiltshire
• North Wiltshire District Council is working with partners to develop programmes of community based sport to provide an outlet for young people providing opportunities for those that do not normally get involved in sport
• Wiltshire Police are working with communities to improve visibility and reassurance by increasing amount of time spent out of the station by Constables
• Partners are working together on a joined up approach to addressing anti social behaviour supported by a district based Anti Social Behaviour Reduction Officer
• North Wiltshire District Council is working with young people to ensure future leisure provision is meeting the needs of young people
• Wiltshire Youth Arts Partnership offers opportunities for young people to take part in diverse arts activities, enabling learning and development some activities are targeted at tackling difficult issues and antisocial behaviour
• Westlea Housing Association is working partners to reduce antisocial behaviour by providing locally based sports activities such as the Football Frenzy scheme
• Local service providers are giving consideration to behaviour and safety issues when designing infrastructure in particular consideration of aspects such as lighting, shelter and good visibility
• Libraries in North Wiltshire are working with the Youth Development Service to provide facilities for young people in our libraries

• Westlea Housing Association is working with partners and local residents to address issues related to anti social behaviour including the setting up of an antisocial behaviour buddying scheme to support victims of antisocial behaviour