Violence

Violent crime and behaviour are particular problems both within Vale Royal and nationally and are the only statistics that appear to be on the increase. Much violent behaviour is fuelled by alcohol.

Our Aim

To reduce the impact that violent behaviour has on public reassurance by targeting measurable actions and informing them of the progress of these actions and the work of the Vale Royal Community Safety Partnership.

Violent crime consists of physical assaults, sexual assaults, robbery (mugging) and domestic violence. Physical assault of a minor nature (scrathing, bruising) is the predominant offence type – the others are rare.

Problem Areas

Northwich Witton, Winsford Dene, and Winsford Wharton.

Our objectives

Adopt, promote and work with relevant bodies to implement an alcohol strategy across the Borough.

Adopt, promote and work with relevant bodies to implement a drugs strategy across the Borough.

To develop, promote and work with relevant bodies on implementing an anti-bullying programme across the Borough.

Work with the Cheshire Race Equality Council on increasing the reporting of hate crime and reducing the number of repeat victims

Work with the Cheshire Domestic Abuse Partnership on increasing the reporting of domestic violence and reducing the number of repeat victims.

What We Have Done

The start of this project coincided with the introduction of the new Licensing Act on the 24^th of November 2005. Much of the initial focus was thus on this part of the project and the Vale Royal / Western area has attracted much positive coverage for its partnership approach to this work, building on work done locally in the Licensing field since 2003.

During this last quarter the now established Partnership Licensing Team has been to the fore to coincide with the Home Office sponsored Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign. Again, the Vale Royal / Western area has attracted much positive coverage for its approach to this work. The campaign ran for just under 5 weeks from the 8^th of May to the 8^th of June and was intended to “set the tone” for the football World Cup which commenced on the 9^th of June.

The last 3 complete months of crime statistics have seen excellent reductions in violent crime across the 3 NPU areas compared to the corresponding period last year.

The total number of offences for the three months has reduced from 802 offences in 2005 to 591 this year, a reduction of just over 26%. Detection rates also remain ahead of target.

The Winsford area has seen the most impressive reductions, over 40% down on 2005. The closure of a public house by the Partnership Licensing team and associated licensing actions has contributed to good work done locally by Neighbourhood Policing Unit and Community Safety Wardens in reducing the impact upon this area.

The Next Steps

Licensing efforts to be maintained and to include a Christmas campaign. Work is ongoing to identify suitable interventions.
Ensure focus remains in place on other strands of work (Bullying, Hate Crime, etc)
Continue programme of educational inputs re alcohol & anti-bullying – 36 inputs to schools on these subjects completed during this last quarter (which includes summer holidays)

CHAWREC liaison and hate crime referrals / target hardening of repeat victims continuing.