Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Foreword
Baroness Newlove
3
Our vision for safe and active communities
Introduction
We all want our neighbourhoods to be safe and
enjoyable places to live: a united community where
we know and can rely upon our neighbours, where
parents take responsibility for their children and where
people are willing and able to intervene to challenge
bad behaviour, confident that they will be supported
by their neighbours, police, landlord, local council,
ward councillors and their MP.
Why?
I think we’ve become so become distanced from the The report is divided into
dependent on the professional public they are there to serve. the following sections
agencies (police, local authority, They have been encouraged Pg 8 Evidence on current
social landlords etc) to sort out to think that they exclusively levels of involvement
problems that we’ve simply have the skills, information
Pg 10 My vision for active,
stopped seeing the safety and and expertise to tackle crime
safer communities
cleanliness of our community and disorder. And all too often
as something we’re responsible they’ve come up with solutions Pg 12 Getting your
for or even have any influence without even speaking to those community active –
over. So, when we see things who best understand what’s a guide for people
such as fly-tipping, graffiti or going on within the community who want to make a
dog fouling, while we might – those who live and work difference, including
feel disgust and frustration, we’ll there, and are the victims of this ten top tips for activists
usually just ignore it. What can disorder and crime. Pg 26 Working with your
we do after all, and isn’t it for community – how
the police, the local authority or Is it any wonder that an ‘us and agencies can make
whoever else to deal with? them’ culture has developed? change happen locally
The public are on the frontline Pg 42 Letting communities
Government has made the in suffering the effects of crime lead – what and how
problem worse, by tying up and antisocial behaviour but central government
agencies in stifling bureaucracy on the backline when it comes need to change
and targets. Fixated on statistics, to decisions about how to deal Pg 48 Annex – Case studies
performance tables, pilots with the problem. from the seven
and initiatives, agencies have neighbourhoods, in
their own words
4
Our vision for safe and active communities
1 Helennewlove.co.uk
2 183 Community Crime Fighters (CCFs) were surveyed by telephone in February 2011. The CCF programme was set up in September 2008
by the then Home Secretary to give participants the skills and knowledge to challenge criminal justice agencies on the level of service
they provided; and to encourage their local communities to engage in community safety activities. Nearly 4,000 Community Crime
Fighters (CCFs) from England and Wales received training in 2009/10
5
Our vision for safe and active communities
6
Our vision for safe and active communities
Challenges to Action
1 Reward communities who come together to reduce crime by giving them back
money to re-invest in crime prevention
2 Give the community cash from assets seized from drug dealers and other criminals
3 Create a national information source, a hub for activists, and support it with an
award for the best examples of activism
4 Provide the public with a single point of contact for reporting non-emergency
crime and anti-social behaviour - make sure other partners are linked up for the
roll-out of the 101 number
5 Let communities set their own speed limits
6 Back a community ‘Power of Competence’ with a helpline to give the public
advice to overcome cautious agencies standing in their way
7 Follow the Neighbourhood Policing example and get the justice system out
of the court room and into communities, and put victims’ needs and their
protection at the heart of any action.
8 Pool agencies’ budgets locally and give the community a choice about how
money is spent
9 Ask Police and Crime Commissioners to commit at least 1% of their budget to
grass roots community groups to use or have a say on
10 Take crime maps to the next stage – don’t just show where crime happens, but
what action has been taken against local crooks
11 End the 9-5 culture. Agencies need to be there for their community when they
need them.
12 Get public servants out and into communities, and volunteering their time and
expertise to support local groups
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Our vision for safe and active communities
8
Our vision for safe and active communities
Intervening directly
People think that others would, but are less sure about themselves.
The 2009/10 British Crime Survey found that...
But interestingly, people tend to be less confident when asked about their own behaviour.
In a 2006 Europe-wide survey The most common reasons people give for not
taking action are concern about repercussions, and
only 30% of Britons said they’d be feeling that it’s nothing to do with them or is not their
likely to confidently challenge or responsibility. Concerns over repercussions are very
probably challenge a group of youths understandable. In a survey of individuals reporting
who were damaging a bus shelter8 anti-social behaviour to the police the HMIC found that
32% reported suffering subsequent intimidation9.
What difference does able to provide helpful leads10. control (i.e where residents think
public involvement make? Research from the US found that that neighbours are willing to
strong communities are more intervene to stop minor crime
Without public co-operation and effective in reducing anti-social and disorder) experience lower
participation very little crime behaviour and maintaining levels of crime and perceived
would be detected, prosecuted order than tough policing anti-social behaviour compared
and punished. For example, tactics11. Home Office analysis to people in otherwise similar
four-fifths of all directly detected indicates that people living in (in socio-demographic terms)
offences had victims or witnesses areas with strong informal social neighbourhoods12.
7 Home Office Statistical Bulletin 19/10. Public perceptions of policing, engagement with the police and victimisation: findings from the
2009/10 BCS. http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs10/hosb1910.pdf
8 ADT(2006) Anti-social behaviour across Europe: An overview of research commissioned by ADT Europe
9 HMIC (2010) Anti-social behaviour : Stop the rot
10 Home Office (2005) Understanding the attrition process in volume crime investigations. HORS 295 http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/
pdfs05/hors295.pdf
11 Sampson, R, Raudenbush, S and Earls, F (1997) Neighbourhoods and Violent Crime: A Multilevel Study of Collective Efficacy, Science 277, 918
12 Bespoke analysis of 2009/10 British Crime Survey data
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Our vision for safe and active communities
2. My Vision
How is the neighbourhood different?
zz People feel safe in their area, know and can rely on their neighbours and feel happy
to live there
zz The community has a sense of pride and ownership in their area and are looking at how
they can improve the neighbourhood rather than relying solely on agencies
zz People feel confident and willing to intervene and challenge bad behaviour
zz Parents take responsibility for their kids
zz People within the community have skills, resources and support to set up their own groups
and projects and these are growing in number and thriving
zz BUT if they feel out of their depth or threatened there is a clear mechanism from agencies
to support them – they do not feel abandoned
zz People who do the right thing are celebrated
zz Savings made by active communities are used for the benefit of those communities
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Our vision for safe and active communities
11
Our vision for safe and active communities
More than half of volunteers13, for example, volunteer after being asked to
by someone they know who is already
As Barack Obama’s successful This chapter will focus on how The community activists I’ve
Presidential campaign showed, communities can self-organise been working with said that
with practical tips and examples their top five motivations for
when you start to for anyone looking to do it in getting involved were:
their own area.
empower citizens 1 Passionate about my area and
Chapters 4 and 5 will explore want to improve it
to engage each how professional agencies
other, you can and government can support
and reward community action
2 Frustrated by current state of
affairs and the poor response
achieve a lot and remove barriers which
prevent involvement. They will
of agencies
13 2008/09 Citizenship Survey: Volunteering and Charitable Giving Topic Report http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/
pdf/1547056.pdf
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Our vision for safe and active communities
Think first about developing community spirit (not necessarily fighting crime)
While your ultimate aim might be neighbours will begin to get to to take on responsibility for a
to reduce crime and anti-social know and trust each other, so neighbour. In Folkestone, for
behaviour, your first step could minor problems can be ironed example, a neighbour organised
be to develop a shared sense out informally. for each elderly resident in
of community spirit. People will the street to have a ‘buddy’- a
only be prepared to get involved Once you neighbour who looks out for
in crime prevention if they feel them, clears their path of snow,
ownership about where they live, recognise picks up shopping if needed,
have a sense of belonging and and who they can call if they
neighbourliness and a shared a common have concerns such as an
ambition to improve the area. As
one activist put it: “If you haven’t
purpose, you unfamiliar person ringing their
doorbell. The stronger these
got passion about where you
live, why should anyone else?”
might choose relationships become, the more
trusting people will be and more
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Our vision for safe and active communities
“Over the years we have proved ourselves. Our council now also provide money to our budget …
one of the things we had to overcome was other people in our town who just thought 'who are
those people?' 'what are they doing?' With perseverance we have changed things, and by talking to
people shown them that our town, belongs to us all. Just last week we had a community day and
got another 8 members signed up. Everybody knows us now, we use the press whenever we can.
We started with just five, we now have over 200 members. We go into all the schools, we have two
people who go into the nursery classes too, we chat with the kids, sing songs and show them the
litter picking equipment …Out motto is love your town, keep it clean.”
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Our vision for safe and active communities
15
Our vision for safe and active communities
Have a clear purpose: decide what you want to change and get people excited
about that change
You will find it easier to convince in, or creating a play area for internet, and contact your local
others to get involved if you the kids. People get motivated media14. By creating shared
have a clear and achievable if they can see a tangible goals and successes, you’ll be
objective. It’s difficult to get outcome which improves their strengthening your sense of a
people excited about ‘creating lives directly. And remember, shared community spirit, and
a safer community’, but they whenever you succeed, encouraging more people to
might be more interested in publicise these achievements join you.
stopping fly-tipping in a specific as widely as possible. Tell your
spot, getting alley gates put family and friends, use the
14 http://www.mediatrust.org/
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Our vision for safe and active communities
When thinking about In Cutsyke, older residents are unlikely to put themselves
community spirit, also consider teach youngsters how to bake forward, so you’ll want to think
where there are tensions within in the community house. In about how you can reach out,
your community, who might Folkestone East and Cheriton, support and integrate them into
feel socially isolated, and how local people are about to buy community life. Victims should
your community could become tools and workbenches to start not feel they are powerless
more inclusive. a new project where elder male or alone – watch for court
residents can act as role models reports and work with your
In many of the neighbourhoods for young people who feel neighbourhood police and
I’ve been working with there alienated and teach them DIY charities to offer support. It is
have been particular suspicions skills, getting them involved in nearly always gratefully received.
between young and old, with the community and enhancing
older people being fearful to their self esteem. Finally, be careful to keep
even walk past groups of young everyone involved and not let
people, and youngsters feeling It will be especially important overpowering individuals take
vilified and blamed for all the to think about how you might over. As an activist in Havering
problems in the area. involve the most vulnerable in warns: “Sometimes personalities
your community. can be a problem – there
Cross-generational work can can be too much enthusiasm
be really successful in This might include the elderly, and people trying to be too
breaking down the barriers socially isolated, intimidated or dominating on the group”.
in understanding between individuals who have been the
old and young. victim of crime. Such people
Case study
Saphron was targeted and beaten up by a gang from her school who bullied her. She was scared to
report it for fear of reprisals, but with the help of Victim Support15 and local friends who were there
for her, she bravely testified and began to recover her self esteem and self worth. She went on to
volunteer to support other young victims and now speaks for them, and works for the charity.
15 Victim Support provide free support and advice to anyone who has been a victim of, or affected by crime (www.victimsupport.org)
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Our vision for safe and active communities
18
Our vision for safe and active communities
Think about how Use the ‘official channels’ such as neighbourhood. KINS are
councillor surgeries and police made up of residents or local
you’re going to beat meetings but also invite business people and share a
them out to your events to get real commitment and drive
work with your them interacting and talking to make their community a
to you and your neighbours on safer place. They help the local
local agencies. your terms. Tell them what the Safer Neighbourhoods team to
problems in your community identify community issues and
Your local councillors, are and discuss how these could can also speak out on behalf of
neighbourhood policing team, be practically addressed – not local people. Police often ask
housing officer and council only what you need them to them to carry out surveys about
officials ought to be there to do – but also what you and your crime and anti-social behaviour
support you. community might be able to do or to get involved in supporting
to resolve the issues. Build those an initiative or campaign.
bridges – even one like-minded
How partner can offer support,
guidance and open doors for Information
you, which all residents trying to
are you make a difference need. is power,
going to get so use it to hold agencies to
them working See whether there is a Key account where you are not
Individual Network (KIN) happy with their performance.
better for you?
group which covers your For example, take your local
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Our vision for safe and active communities
crime map (find it by doing a or could even aggravate Social landlords (such as the
postcode search at www.police. the problem. When facing Peabody Trust18) will often be
uk) to a police beat meeting neighbourhood annoyances willing to call in mediators at
and ask them to explain what - such as youths screaming the start. And many community
actions they are taking to deal around on mopeds, or the members – teachers, parents,
with the crimes identified; or if continuous thump of a football youth workers - will have
you’re suffering from anti-social against an elderly resident’s side mediation skills already. For
behaviour, keep a detailed wall – which are not crimes but those that do not, there is plenty
record of all incidents and any maddening all the same and of training available.
actions taken by authorities, and damaging to quality of life.
use this to inform and demand
further action.
17 To see the wider reform of ASB tools and powers which the Government are currently consulting on visit
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/asb-consultation.
18 www.peabody.org.uk
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Our vision for safe and active communities
Don’t forget about local schools, charities, faith groups and businesses
Consider what they might be spots for ASB issues, but if you often be happy to get involved
able to provide. Schools can work with them then they can as it provides ‘real life’ experience
too often be seen as part of the become part of the solution. for the young people who
problem, as they can be hot- Local schools and colleges will attend them.
Faith groups have members with offering to share their skills ASB problems. He now has more
similar values who can offer time or resources. Sometimes you than 40 businesses involved
and experience. Christchurch in just need to ask. In Havering, and they each have two way
Brentwood, for example, offers a local activists wrote to 15 local radios to communicate directly
free community drop-in advice businesses, and a major DIY with their Safer Neighbourhood
surgery on parenting thanks chain responded with an offer to Team. It has reduced ASB as well
to the voluntary efforts of a provide £3,000 worth of support as gathering more intelligence
member of the congregation through supplies of paint, for the police.
who is a retired paediatrician. It’s fencing, flowers and plants.
a very welcome resource for local Look locally for community
parents unsure of how to deal Business people can also start recycling sites or set one up
with issues around their children. groups and schemes themselves. yourself, encourage donations of
For example one small business paint, books and materials. Your
Businesses can often help with owner decided to create a local school or community can save
free or cut price goods or by Business Watch scheme to tackle money and help the planet.
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Our vision for safe and active communities
Finance
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Our vision for safe and active communities
23
Our vision for safe and active communities
4 Have a clear purpose: decide what you want to change and get people excited
about that change.
You’ll find it easier to get people motivated and involved if you have a clear and
achievable objective. And remember, once you’re successful, publicise your
achievements before moving onto the next challenge. Everyone loves a winner!
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Our vision for safe and active communities
10
Don’t give up!
Changes won’t happen overnight, but persevere. Get more and more people
involved, including your councillors and your MP. Remember the bigger you are,
the louder your voice will be. If no one is listening or helping, go higher and use
the local media to highlight your issues.
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Our vision for safe and active communities
self-regulating and locally based council staff. And let’s not forget the
People like having professionals crucial role that voluntary
communities is, who are permanently based and community sector (VCS)
within their community, who are organisations have to play.
of course, only easily contactable, understand Organisations working with
the local issues and know local victims, for example, will often
half the story. people. But in terms of how be the first point of contact the
services are actually delivered on individual has with anyone other
Agencies also have to be the ground, public involvement than the police and can provide
prepared and willing to work is still limited. crucial support and links to
with their community and back other organisations
them up when needed. For all the talk of ‘community and community groups.
engagement’ over the last And VCS organisations also
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Our vision for safe and active communities
Give your community confidence to come forward by getting the basics right
Crime has been cut dramatically and Sale went from being one
of the worst areas in Manchester for confidence in the police
and the local council to one of the best.
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Our vision for safe and active communities
19 Winsor (2011) Independent Review of Police Officers’ and Staff Renumeration and Conditions (www.review.police.uk)
28
Our vision for safe and active communities
In terms of getting the basics them know the outcomes some results] all that energy and
right, agencies also need to be (for example priorities spirit will go”. Think about how
very active in providing swift changed, arrests made or technology might help you to
feedback to the community. eyesores removed). publicise changes to a wider
audience. A number of police
People will only be prepared to This will not only reward those forces for example, use Flickr to
engage if they are confident that who are already involved, it display before and after photos
their concerns will be listened will motivate those who are following community clean
to and acted upon quickly. So, if not. As an activist in Havering ups20 and the new police.uk
you’re asking people to give up explained: “We have got the portal offers a great opportunity
their valuable time, you need to energy, got the spirit and now for local teams to put on
be clear about why and what have the relationships [with information and updates for
difference their involvement services] but if we don’t get their local community.
will make and don’t forget to let things going [demonstrate
Case Study
Twenty year old Amir received a supervision order, jointly handled by the Probation Service and a
community organisation, the Himmat Project. He was allocated a community mentor who he saw
twice a week. Gradually, he became a regular visitor at the Himmat Youth Club, as well as beginning
to attend Friday prayers with some of the volunteers. He joined the Himmat Project community
'Clean-Up' campaigns and by the end of the year, was a volunteer staff member. He has never been
in court again. He said “I realised that frustrations and stress at home were leading me into a life of
spiralling anger and crime. Himmat allowed me to see my responsibility at home … to gain a new
set of friends, and know that there were people who cared what happened to me.”
20 Forces using Flickr include West Yorkshire, Avon and Somerset, Essex and the Met.
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Our vision for safe and active communities
21 For example, a Staffordshire Police “Ask the Commander” online session attracted 63 participants, with the page viewed a further 622
times afterwards. South Yorkshire Police have found that online meetings in Barnsley attract a different type of audience, including
families, disabled people and those who are too intimidated to go to public meetings.
22 In October 2010, Greater Manchester Police tweeted every call for a 24 hour period. By the end of the day over 19,000 people were
following them compared to 3,000 at the start. A significant audience to then put other crime and safety messages out to.
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Our vision for safe and active communities
The public want to have a single broker how the problem will
conversation with agencies – be dealt with and resolved. The
they don’t distinguish between Government is committed to
a police responsibility, a local rolling out 101, a single national
authority responsibility or a non-emergency number for
housing responsibility. the police by April 2012. This is
a good start but areas need to
think about how they can get all
To the their partners involved (as the
Police and City Council already
community it’s do in Sheffield). We need to
seize this opportunity to create
a problem that a ‘one-call – one stop’ option for
needs sorting the public.
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Our vision for safe and active communities
Ask your community not only what their problems are but how they should be dealt
with – and include them in the ‘how’
Over the past couple of years, You’ll find that your community In Sutton, the PCSOs
agencies have got much better knows far more about why, systematically carry out in-depth
at asking communities what where and when incidents occur interviews with community
their priorities are, but with the than you do and will come up members, asking them to
removal of central government with innovative ideas to solve identify the anti-social behaviour
directions and targets, there problems that you might never and crime problems that cause
is even more opportunity for have thought of. And you will be them most concern. They often
services to ask the community making use of some incredible uncover more crime than is
not only what their problems assets - your local people and formally reported, but also the
are but how they want agencies your community! community can often tell them
to respond to them, and what the underlying reasons why it is
success looks like. This would happening and how they could
mean frontline staff’s work is Consider what solve it23.
truly driven by the public
they serve. powers you Problem solving can be done
on an ad hoc basis but is best if
Agencies also need to recognise could give to structured around a more formal
that communities not only
understand their own problems
local people. agreement. Neighbourhood
Agreements can be a good way
but have some of the answers of bringing together residents
to them. If speeding is a problem in and services to work as partners.
your area why not let the They outline what standards
Why not
community set the speed people can expect from their
limit. Local highways agencies services (what they will do, who
are supposed to consult on will do it and by when) and what
speed limits, but how well is responsibilities the community
take a specific this advertised? You could then will take on in return. Local
crime or anti-social involve them in enforcing the people who have been involved
behaviour new limit. In Cambridgeshire in drafting Neighbourhood
problem in your area and Devon and Cornwall Agreements say that they feel
volunteers are given speed more of a sense of ownership
and work with them
guns to monitor and catch following the process and
to solve it? people speeding in their often become local champions,
neighbourhoods, passing the encouraging more of their
evidence onto criminal justice neighbours to get involved.
agencies to prosecute and
making their streets safer.
23 http://www.upsi.org.uk/
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Our vision for safe and active communities
As well as getting the public to joining a community litter pick families and the community.
report crime, act as a witness, to make sure the area looks clean You could also increase the
and form community groups and tidy. It could be by helping to opportunities for the public to
such as Neighbourhood Watch dispense justice, as a Magistrate or nominate and vote on what
or a tenants and residents as a youth referral panel member. work is undertaken by offenders
association, agencies should on unpaid work orders.
look at how they could Another good way of involving
encourage and support more the community is restorative The important thing is to
local people to get more directly justice (a process which brings make the public aware of the
involved in the delivery of safety together victims, offenders opportunities – many people
and justice in their area. and community members to don’t get involved because they
decide how to make good the do not know how to. And make
This could be as part of a harm caused by an offender). sure that there are opportunities
street patrol with or without Mentoring low risk offenders to suit everyone. Time is often a
uniformed officers (for example to get them back on the constraint. So think about how
StreetWatch24), by joining up as straight and narrow, or meeting you could get the community
a Special Constable or police offenders at the prison gate and to do very small things like re-
volunteer. It could be putting helping them integrate back into tweeting crime prevention advice,
on sporting or cultural activities society, can stop the revolving or providing bulbs so they can
for young people to keep them door of re-offending which is plant flowers outside their house
from hanging out in the street or so costly to the individual, their to make the street look nice.
24 http://www.street-watch.org.uk/
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Our vision for safe and active communities
34
Our vision for safe and active communities
Historically, public agencies I would propose the following The process must be simple,
‘owned’ all the resources and clear principles to be followed. transparent, with enough time to
the public had no say in how give everyone an equal chance in
money was spent. Anything to do with money bidding, and widely advertised to
must be absolutely transparent allow for the widest participation
and uncomplicated. from all groups in the community.
This is beginning
Budgets should be pooled at I know that public influence
to change with the most local (neighbourhood) over budgets worries many
level and be attached to results agency staff, but the public are
the introduction and not to individual agencies. not stupid.
of a number of So it’s not police money, or local
authority money, but money
different new to solve a problem. Give us proper
budgetary Agencies should consider information on
putting their available budget
techniques, into this pool, and not just a which to base
but just the variety and names
small proportion of their budget
as is currently the case in some
our decisions,
of these can be enough in
itself to put the community
models. Efforts should also be
made to get others such as local
with necessary
off - community budgets,
place-based budgets, small
businesses to contribute. protections for
area budgets, neighbourhood Money from the shared pool some vulnerable
budgets, participatory should be allocated to agencies
budgeting and Local Integrated and community groups groups, and why
Services to name just a few! depending on what they can
bring to the table to solve the shouldn’t we
We need identified problem. There must
be an independent adjudicator help decide how
to decide who will do this to
to keep it stop agencies arguing for their money that we
much simpler own service. And who is better
have provided in
than the public?
if we want to get the
public involved taxes is spent?
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Our vision for safe and active communities
36
Our vision for safe and active communities
In Havering
Members of the newly established residents group each have a
‘buddy’ in the professional agencies (including a local Inspector,
a council ASB coordinator, the Street Scene coordinator) who
they can call upon for support and advice and who will assist
them in navigating services.
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Our vision for safe and active communities
The activists that I have been follow the example. Think creatively
working with said that personal
incentives motivated people to You should also make sure that about how you
get involved. any costs incurred by volunteers,
such as transport or childcare, could reward and
are covered as this can make the
It is really difference in allowing someone thank those who
to take on a community role.
important that get involved,
Training, accreditation and the but without putting a cash value
people who chance to acquire and use new on their contribution which can
give their time skills can also be a big incentive,
particularly for young people,
‘rub against’ people’s reasons for
wanting to get involved. ‘Time
and energy are those who are unemployed or
those who are retraining for a
bank’ type schemes are popping
up across the country, where
valued for the new career. volunteers ‘bank’ their time and
receive council tax rebates,
work they do. free access to public amenities,
vouchers from local businesses,
or credits that can be exchanged
After all, if they did not do it, on a peer to peer basis.
services would often have to
pay someone else to do it, or For example Spice Community
put even more resources into Credits in South Wales rewards
sorting out the consequences if people who contribute to
they didn’t do it. their community and public
services with credits which can
This can be as simple as be redeemed for trips, events
saying ‘thank you’ or publicly and at local leisure, sporting
recognising and championing and recreational services and
their achievements, for has been very successful in
example through a local awards increasing the participation of
ceremony or an article in the
local paper. This costs nothing How community members in public
services. The Royal Borough
and can really encourage local of Windsor and Maidenhead
people to continue and for are you advertising are now developing a similar
others to get involved too. these benefits? scheme to encourage people
to provide informal low level
Portraying volunteering
Have you linked care for those around them in
and challenging anti-social in with your local exchange for time credits that
behaviour as the social norm schools, colleges and can be used to access incentives
in a community is a powerful Job Centres? or exchanged between peers as
way of getting others to a time based currency.
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Our vision for safe and active communities
Create financial incentives to genuine partnership working by allowing services and the
community to keep the savings.
Throughout the course of my Some of it could be given back I do realise that it is not
work, people have started to to the community for them straightforward to identify
suggest more innovative ways to decide on how the money savings or extract them from the
of providing financial incentives should be reinvested in crime system, so perhaps a nominal
to communities. This isn’t prevention. The community financial reward might be a first
about making funding easier could draw up and agree a step. Obviously this will need
to access but it’s about giving shortlist and vote on what further exploration by agencies
the community a much greater preventative activities this and central government.
stake in local services, and an money might be spent on.
incentive to getting involved.
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Our vision for safe and active communities
1 Give your community the confidence to come forward by getting the basics right.
Local people need to have faith and trust before they will be prepared to work with
agencies. The public need to know that you are on their side. Be very visible in the
community, respond quickly and effectively to problems, proactively visit those who are
suffering anti-social behaviour and provide protection by bringing perpetrators to justice.
3 Ask your community not only what their problems are but how they should be dealt
with – and include them in the ‘how’.
Involve the public in defining and resolving problems. They know more about what
goes on in their community than you do. Use problem solving techniques to make the
community part of the solution and think about neighbourhood agreements as a way
of cementing a partnership between your teams and local people.
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Our vision for safe and active communities
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Our vision for safe and active communities
The Government
has made it clear that its role is no longer to direct, but to devolve power down to
the most local level, and to give local people, rather than Whitehall, responsibility
for holding agencies to account for delivery.
For example, in the criminal justice sphere, from May 2012 all Police
Chiefs will be answerable to a directly elected Police and Crime
Commissioner (PCC), rather than having to meet performance criteria
set by the Home Office.
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Our vision for safe and active communities
Power of Competence. This will This would give the public already uncovered some of
give councils the power to do powerful information to cut these through their ‘Vanguard
anything that is not explicitly through any overly cautious Areas’ and their website
forbidden in law. agencies standing in their (www. barrierbusting.
way and would knock down communities.gov.uk)
It’s a very welcome step, which one of the main barriers to and I would like to see this
sends the right message to activism that people have work expanded.
council workers with ‘can do’ raised on my visits.
attitudes, but why not extend it Even more ambitiously,
to all members of the public? In the previous chapter I looked could communities be given
at the many bureaucratic the ability to seek to ‘overturn’
barriers faced by activists who national or local rules and
I suggest that want to do something as simple regulations if they accept
as organise a community event. some of the responsibility
the government These include health and safety themselves? And if they
(if preparing food), licensing (if can’t to ask ‘why not’?
introduces a music is involved), road closures
General Power and safety requirements.
And I made recommendations
of Competence to local agencies about
simplifying requirements and
for local residents negotiating processes on
behalf of the community.
backed up by
Additionally, I would like
clear guidelines government to consider
whether there is anything
and a free in legislation or central
government guidance that
helpline that prevents simplification? For
example that might prevent
people could portability of agency insurance
call to find out to community groups, that
would stop councils waiving
whether their fees or regulation in certain
cases, or that prevents
idea contravenes information sharing. The
Department of Communities
any rules. and Local Government have
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Our vision for safe and active communities
Support innovation by setting up an information sharing hub and getting civil servants
out there
Whilst innovation and difference enable areas to explain how they Civil servants have many skills -
is to be welcomed, it would be have overcome problems and including administration, project
hugely wasteful if every area out encourage the sharing of ideas management, policy making, a
there was simply re-inventing through a discussion forum. The knowledge of funding processes
the wheel. emphasis would be on enabling and an understanding of how to
peer-to-peer discussion and navigate bureaucracies. These
We need support, with content provided
by activists and practitioners and
could be extremely useful to
community groups.
rather than government. Creating
to find more a ‘home’ in this way for activism Some government
efficient means would both make it much easier departments, such as the
of sharing best for people to access information Home Office, offer employees
practice and help to generate a sense of a up to five days paid leave for
national community of activists. community work, but some
and allowing areas departments offer significantly
to learn from and This hub should not be less and take up rates are low.
support each other, government managed or This needs to change. With
rather than looking branded as this might put activists 116,000 civil servants working
off. Government could support it in the three criminal justice
to government for
by running an award for activists, departments25 alone, over
direction. possibly exploring private sector half a million days could be
funding. The hub would need to made available to charities and
So, without duplicating what is be easy to find via Home Office, community groups.
already out there, I would like Police and Community web sites.
to see a central information I very much welcome the
hub for activists. This could I would also like recently announced cross civil
provide information and service volunteering initiative26
guidance, including “how-to” government to and am delighted to hear that
kits allowing anyone with an hundreds of thousands of
interest to get started, links to consider how professionals will be encouraged
useful organisations (such as the
national young volunteers service
more of its staff to volunteer at least one day a
year. I am particularly pleased
www.vinspired.com) and a
mapping device to enable them
resources might to see that senior civil servants
will be expected to champion
to find their nearest community
group. Many activists have told
be put at the and encourage volunteering.
That sort of proactive
me how difficult it is to find out disposal of the encouragement is exactly
and share information. This hub what is needed.
could showcase what works, local community.
25 Home Office, Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General’s Office
26 www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/news/professionals-join-big-society-volunteer-drive
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Our vision for safe and active communities
But what many communities beyond "X days", to offer must also extend to small
and voluntary sector think creatively, to be community groups. I am pleased
organisations want is sustained responsive to requests and that some businesses are already
volunteering, for example a few to allow and enable the supporting the plan and urge
hours every week or month, flexibility that this requires. the Government to get more
or sustained activity over a set businesses on board, leading by
period where civil servants It's great to see that under the example and challenging others
can regularly input skills which new initiative charities will be to do likewise.
groups do not have. I would able to request specific help
urge government to think when it is needed, but that
The public need timely, The government is already Government should also
accurate and highly localised working with some forces to see explore how “real time” crime
information on crime and how they might develop crime reports and local intelligence
anti-social behaviour if they maps further, for example by data might be more easily
are going to be able to hold allowing victims to track online shared. A number of non-
agencies to account. what has happened to their governmental websites such
crime report. Two ‘trailblazer’ as www.citizensreportuk.org,
areas27 are also testing the www.themissinglist.co.uk
Since January feasibility of adding information and www.fixmystreet.com
on justice outcomes (ie. whether already allow members of the
official anyone has been caught and public to self-report crime and
prosecuted; and details of any environmental problems and
information on sentence). I would like giving for others to share that
crimes reported the public access to outcomes
information to be prioritised,
information in real time.
These sites make reporting
to the police has so that members of the public
in all areas are able to judge
transparent to the wider
community and could be
been available at the effectiveness of the whole
criminal justice system and
used to pressure the services
into taking speedy action
street level detail also their Police and Crime (or explain why they haven’t).
Commissioner once they
at www.police.uk are in post.
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Our vision for safe and active communities
This report has highlighted lots direct control over and with conditions attached to current
of examples of people making the drive towards localism funding could be unravelled and
their neighbourhoods safer and this is likely to be even more simplified to ensure maximum
cleaner places to be. the case in the future. Putting value and return on the funds/
control back in the hands of money received. A starting point
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Our vision for safe and active communities
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Our vision for safe and active communities
Annex
Case Studies from the 7 neighbourhoods
Introduction
Over the past six months, some are just starting. The one servants, given a small amount
Baroness Newlove has been thing they have in common of funding to get things going
working with activists in seven is they have passion about and came together for the day
neighbourhoods across England their local area and want to do in London where they could
and Wales. They are all taking a something to make it better. meet and motivate each other
different approach to tackling and share their experiences.
their very different crime and Working with Baroness Newlove
anti-social behaviour problems, has encouraged them to keep Here are their inspiring stories,
and they are at different stages going or inspired them into in their own words.
of their journeys. Some have action. They have received
been doing this for years and support from Home Office civil
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Our vision for safe and active communities
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Our vision for safe and active communities
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Our vision for safe and active communities
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Our vision for safe and active communities
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Our vision for safe and active communities
The opportunity to go to
London to the Newlove
workshop brought lots of
learning (not just about how
the Tube works!) around community are held to
communications - now going account if they don't keep
to get support with our their side of the bargain
website; and also meeting zz Keep connecting with
others and learning how others through different
others do things. I gained ways, for example theatre
confidence from realising that workshops with local
others could learn lots from youths around issues such
us too. I made good contacts as anti-social behavior,
especially with Havering, we bullying and domestic
have kept in touch and will violence.
support each other during zz Plan and deliver my
and beyond the rest of the summer event - a massive
project. summer communities
together party.
So what next?
Things are changing,
zz Develop the facebook Offerton is starting to get
page and potential more connected. The only
website into something way we can be a strong,
people automatically resilient community is if we
turn to for fast, reliable are connected. We now need
information. more individuals coming
zz Take forward the forward to support their
Neighbourhood community - that would
Agreement and make make a huge difference.
sure the services and
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57
Published March 2011