DRAFT North Somerset Sustainable Community Strategy 08 - 26.pdf

Partnership Priority - Ensuring Safer CommunitiesWhy this is a Priority• Our most disadvantaged neighbourhoods experience disproportionately higherlevels of some types of crime.• Domestic violence has often been an invisible crime. We need to further increasethe number of people who report what is happening to them and reduce thenumber of repeat incidents.• Weston super Mare houses around 10% of all the national drug rehabilitation beds.People who manage to change their lifestyles and give up drug misuse maychoose to make their homes locally. Should they relapse in future, they add to thenumbers requiring treatment.• In North Somerset there is a strong network of 1200 neighbourhood watch groupsand local action teams working to tackle local safety issues.What our communities told usMost North Somerset residents see community safety and living without fear of crime ashigh priorities and an important factor in “what makes North Somerset a good place tolive”. From a broad perspective, people told us that ‘A sense of belonging and feelingcomfortable and safe was very important to maintaining and improving quality of life inthe area’. When discussed in more detail 73.9% of people over 24 years old felt thatreducing crime was very important and a key priority of the area. Young people under 24years old considered reducing crime to be the second most important priority secondonly to increasing transport choice and accessibility.Major issues that local people want us to work together to address are:• Preventing and reducing crime such as thefts, criminal damage and violent crime.• Tackling drug and alcohol related problems.• Reducing anti-social behaviour through prevention and enforcement approaches.• Encouraging people’s involvement and participation in promoting communitysafety within communities.• Developing an understanding of the impact the fear of crime can have on localpeople and businesses.Within identified areas of disadvantage, a survey of local residents was undertaken toinform and shape the community regeneration programme. Out of the 700 householdsthat took part the following priority areas of work were identified in relation to this sharedpriority:• Improving facilities and activities for children and young people.• Encouraging and supporting young people to have a voice and participate in localactivity decisions.• Reducing the level of anti-social behaviour as a result of alcohol or drug misuse.• Reducing the level of litter and fly-tipping in the area.26