Have your say on crime

Date: 04 November 2009 (LS/029)

As part of the Home Office’s national ‘Not in My Neighbourhood Week’ campaign, the Safer Birmingham Partnership is hosting a city centre based event tomorrow (Thursday, 5 November 2009) to give the public the chance to have their say on crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour.

The event, which will be held on Lower Edgbaston Street (opposite the Birmingham Indoor Market) from 10.00am until 4.00pm, will bring together a range of agencies who work together across the city to tackle crime and disorder. Partners including West Midlands Police and Fire Service, Birmingham Anti-social Behaviour Unit, Birmingham Drug and Alcohol Action Team and the Birmingham Road Safety Partnership will all be on hand to answer questions from the public about what they are doing to make Birmingham even safer.

A short questionnaire will be carried out on the day to identify ‘how safe residents feel’ in the area in which they live. The Safer Birmingham Partnership will utilise this information to act upon any concerns identified by residents. This forms part of our overall drive to improve consultation and communication with local residents.

The event will also provide the opportunity to inform local residents and visitors to the city about our key successes in reducing crime. Birmingham has the lowest overall crime rate of the eight major English cities, with a 27 percent reduction in all crime between 2005 – 2008. Recorded crime fell by 10% in the period October 2008 – September 2009, meaning 10,000 fewer victims compared to 2007/08.

Jackie Russell, Director of the Safer Birmingham Partnership said, “It is important that the public feel reassured that the Police and City Council are working hard to tackle issues which matter to them. I am delighted with the successes we have seen in reducing crime across the city, but we should not be complacent. Whilst the figures are extremely encouraging, they are of little importance if people fear they will be a victim of crime. In visiting this event, we hope to give people some level of reassurance that Birmingham is a safe place and that we are doing everything we can to continue to improve”.

In recognition of the City’s crime reduction achievements, David Hanson MP, Minister for Policing and Security, will be visiting tomorrow’s event to find out more about the work being delivered across the city.

During his visit, the Minister will meet residents from the Glebe Farm Estate in Hodge Hill, an area previously blighted by crime and anti-social behaviour. An intensive programme of activity was delivered in the area around the estate, which led to seven individuals from a local gang being served with interim anti-social behaviour orders. Earlier this year, the Safer Birmingham Partnership was awarded the Home Office’s Tilley Award in recognition of the excellent work it carried out on the estate.

End

Notes to Editors

1. Please contact Lindsey Stubbins 0121 465 4937 or 07920 576820 for further information.

2. The Safer Birmingham Partnership is a multi-agency organisation that includes West Midlands Police, Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Fire Service, Birmingham Primary Care Trusts, Third Sector Assembly, Probation Service and a range of other agencies. Safer Birmingham Partnership ensures the delivery of a range of community safety activity which is aimed at making Birmingham even safer.

The Safer Birmingham Partnership ensures a coordinated approach to crime reduction and community safety providing strategic leadership for partnership working in order to:

Valid XHTML 1.0 Strict   Valid CSS!