Mersey Reporter - #Merseybites #News

ANTI-SOCIAL behaviour and burglaries have more than halved in 3 South Liverpool wards, thanks to a community safety project that has cut crime and created safer streets.

Delivered using funding secured by Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Emily Spurrell and Liverpool City Council, the targeted crime reduction programme was set up to improve safety, security and community spirit in:- Smithdown, Arundel and Edge Hill wards, 3 areas which had been impacted by a spike in burglaries and anti-social behaviour in recent years.

As part of the £370,000 Safer Streets initiative which got underway in:- September 2022 and ran until March this year, 56 alley gates have been repaired and upgraded and more than 50 streetlights have been installed or improved to help make the area feel safer and be safer.

Secure communal bins have been installed for more than 680 homes, helping to prevent burglars gaining access to the rear of properties, while also reducing street fires and fly-tipping in the area, making it a safer, cleaner place to live.

A total of 2,000 Selecta DNA kits were given to students within the targeted area to mark their property, as well as vibration alarms, LED television simulators and door chimes, to help deter criminals and prevent burglaries.

Bespoke warning street signs were installed across seven streets highlighting the use of Selecta DNA in the area to act as a further deterrence.

The project team visited hundreds of student homes in the area offering crime prevention advice, held a webinar for landlords to help them increase the security of their properties and a public drop-in session with the local policing team to listen to residents’ concerns.

These efforts were supported by a community clear up by Liverpool Streetscene Services Limited (LSSL) supported by pest control teams, private sector housing provider and the Council’s ASB and Neighbourhood teams.

This resulted in fly-tipping reducing by nearly 50%, with significant reductions in missed bin collections, pest control numbers and street sweeps compared to before the project started.

Merseyside's Police and Crime Commissioner, Emily Spurrell said:- “It is incredibly encouraging to see what a difference this project has made in the Smithdown, Arundel and Edge Hill wards.I’m committed to improving the safety of our communities and that means focussing our efforts in areas where we know local people are facing challenging issues. Sadly, this part of south Liverpool was one of those areas where we had seen certain types of crimes spike. Through the Safer Streets project, we focussed on putting practical, effective solutions in place to reduce burglaries and ASB, build community cohesion and make the area a safer, cleaner place to live. Thanks to the hard work and determination of our partners delivering this project, these neighbourhoods have been changed for the better and are now safer, happier places to live.”

Councillor Laura Robertson-Collin, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods said:- “The Safer Streets programme has made a real impact on a number of anti-social issues affecting some of the communities in this part of South Liverpool. It’s been a great example of what can be achieved when partners work together to make some simple but fundamental improvements to a neighbourhood, and critically listening to our residents and then acting on their feedback. The results are clear to see and the lessons learnt will have long lasting consequences."