Round the Globe

Council create ‘mobile Neighbourhood Watch’ scheme

South Gloucestershire Council staff are to act as mobile Neighbourhood Watch representatives.

The council’s Street Care team, which has many frontline staff carrying out duties around the district, has agreed to watch for criminal or anti-social behaviour when they are out and about.

This move is in direct response to a recent Audit Commission study, “Neighbourhood Crime and Antisocial Behaviour; Making Places Safer through Improved Local Working”, which recommends that front line workers have a key role to play in making neighbourhoods safer.

A key area of concern is the fact that nationally, whilst crime is falling, two thirds of people believe the opposite. The public’s views are mainly based on their perception of the scale of anti-social behaviour and what they may observe in their own areas such as graffiti, litter and broken street furniture.

John Kelly, head of Safer South Gloucestershire, said: “I am grateful to the Street Care managers and Avon and Somerset Police’s Neighbourhood Watch administrator for helping us develop this initiative.

“All Street Care staff live or work in South Gloucestershire and this is one way in which they can join with us in doing something positive to tackle crime, antisocial behaviour, alcohol and drug issues in our area.

“This builds upon the excellent working relationship we have enjoyed with Street Care for a number of years and we believe it will contribute to a safer South Gloucestershire.”

Steve Evans, director of community services for South Gloucestershire Council, added: “This is a continuation of our staff ’s commitment towards tackling crime and antisocial behaviour across the district. I’m sure it will help to make our area even safer.”

South Gloucestershire Street Care staff working with the Partnership through:

• Environmental action days
• Fly tipping initiatives
• Removal of abandoned vehicles
• Retrieval of discarded syringes

It has now been agreed that the Street Care operational team will be considered as a mobile Neighbourhood Watch.

Working closely with Avon and Somerset Police’s Neighbourhood Watch administrator, they will be provided with information about particular crime trends on a fortnightly basis. This information will be made available on staff notice boards.

They will also be provided with a list of contacts for the police and Safer South Gloucestershire whom they can contact if they observe anything suspicious or have a crime involving council property. The lists will be placed in all vehicles.

Street Care workers should be able to provide the police and Safer South Gloucestershire with information on anti-social behaviour hot spots, such as underpasses.

Article obtained by the NHW State Office from www.24dash.com which appeared May 2007.