Agencies met to pledge their commitment to working together to protect their local communities from crime and make people feel safer.
Partners met on April 4 to design and set up the Westmorland and Furness Community Safety Partnership. The CSP will have a prevention and early intervention approach where children and young people are a key focus.
The partnership includes Westmorland and Furness Council, Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service, Cumbria Constabulary, NHS Integrated Care Board and the Probation Service, as well as representatives from the voluntary and third sectors.
It is chaired by Steph Cordon, Director of Thriving Communities at Westmorland Furness Council.
She said: "I am delighted to chair the new Westmorland and Furness Community Safety Partnership and to see the enthusiasm and commitment already demonstrated by the partners to work together and make a positive impact in the diverse communities of Westmorland and Furness. There is a lot to do but so much potential to make a real difference to people's lives.
"Our prevention work will include designing out crime, changing physical environments, promoting education and other measures, while early intervention will include tackling the risk factors that harm people and communities swiftly, keeping young people out of the criminal justice system and improving their life chances.
"It is critical that we listen, show leadership by supporting community cohesion in difficult times and resolve local problems at the right time. I can't wait to see this new partnership doing just that."
The partnership aims to:
Protect local communities from crime and help people feel safer.
Deal with local issues like antisocial behaviour, drug or alcohol misuse and re-offending.
Assess local crime priorities and consult partners and the local community about how to deal with them.
Local Focus Hubs for Barrow, Eden and South Lakeland will bring partners together to work on the ground in communities to meet areas' particular needs, identified by the three-year Strategic Threat Assessment & Partnership Plan or through local knowledge and intelligence.
Themed delivery groups will also be created to tackle issues and a CSP manager and assistant manager employed to coordinate action.
Picture caption
Steph Cordon, Director of Thriving Communities at Westmorland and Furness Council, giving a presentation to partners at a meeting on April 4 to design and set up the Westmorland and Furness Community Safety Partnership.
Notes to editors
The Westmorland and Furness Community Safety Partnership will continue the work previously done before Local Government Reorganisation in Barrow and South Lakeland by the South Cumbria Community Safety Partnership and in Eden through the North Cumbria Community Safety Partnership.
The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 determines the make-up and role of Community Safety Partnerships and it sets out the statutory requirements for unitary authorities to have a CSP and consider the crime and disorder implications of all its day-to-day activities. Section 17 of the Act states what the statutory responsibilities of the CSP are:
- Approval of three-year Strategic Threat Assessment & Partnership Plan, setting out priorities for the CSP that meets the community safety needs of the area.
- Commission and co-ordinate Domestic Homicide Reviews.
- Have an effective Community Triggers process.
- Identify local priorities via the strategic assessment.
- Analyse a wide range of data to identify levels and patterns of crime so priorities can be set using strategic assessment.
- Reduce crime and disorder.
- Reduce anti-social behaviour.
- Reduce substance misuse.
- Reduce reoffending.
- Have due regard for Police and Crime Commissioner’s plans (and vice versa).
- Ensure the elected local policing body and the responsible authorities co-operate in exercising their respective functions.
- Develop and monitor information sharing.
- Engage and consult with the community regularly and incorporate their voice into plans.
- Monitor and report on the progress of the CSP.