COMMUNITY SAFETY INFORMATION
What is ‘Community Safety’?
'The protection of everyone’s right to live without fear for their and other peoples safety' - National Community Safety Network definition.
‘Community Safety is a complex issue. It is an outcome rather than a service, although it is strongly influenced by the quality of service delivery. Community safety relates to people’s sense of personal security and to their feelings of ease in the places that they live, work or spend leisure time. It affects how people value their neighbourhood, and is a major part of what makes a neighbourhood a good or bad place to live’ - Community Safety Partnerships – Audit Commission 2002
What’s it got to do with the Council ?
The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 placed a statutory duty on Horsham District and West Sussex County Councils, Sussex Police, Sussex Police Authority,West Sussex Primary Care Trust, West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and Saxon Weald to work together to produce a partnership plan. The current plan covers the Horsham District Council area for a three year period until April 2011.
In practice Police, partners and Councils have been working together for many years, the Act however formalised those arrangements. The Act also recognised that safer communities cannot be delivered without the practical support of the community. The Strategy therefore involves partners from many agencies; public, private and voluntary; who work together to ensure Horsham District remains a safer place to be. The public are also consulted through the Audit process and their views, fears and perceptions have been taken into account in developing the plan. The partnership is known as the Horsham District Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (HCDRP).
Parish and Town Councils also have a duty to consider the impact of all their functions and decisions on crime and disorder in their local area.
The Directorate of Community Services has corporate responsibility for Community Safety.
Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998
‘Without prejudice to any other obligation imposed on it, it shall be the duty of each authority to which this section applies to exercise its various functions with due regard to the likely effect of the exercise of those functions on, and the need to do all that it reasonably can to prevent, crime and disorder in its area including anti-social behaviour, substance misuse and other behaviour adversely affecting the local environment.’
Who does what ?
Community Safety Manager
Mike Rumble
Tel: 01403 215116
Community Safety Officer
Greg Charman
Tel: 01403 215124
Anti Social Behaviour Co-ordinator
Amy Parsons
Tel: 0845 607 0999 ext 30233
The Council’s work is based around the Horsham District Community Safety Plan 2008-2011.
What happens now ?
The Community Safety Manager,as well as implementing the partnership plan, will be working with departments within the Council to ensure community safety features in all their departmental service plans for 2008 to 2011.
The Community Safety Unit is also able to offer advice in the following areas:
- Secured by Design – designing out crime at the planning stage
- Personal & Staff Safety – training materials and talks
- Crime Prevention – advice and guidance for home, business and vehicle security
- Planning / Licensing Applications – community safety implications
- Grant applications for funding community based projects that make communities safer
- A range of ‘problem solving’ solutions for anti-social behaviour, graffiti, damage and ‘quality of life’ issues.
Is Horsham a safe place to be ?
Horsham District has one of the lowest crime rates in the UK and is the safest District Council area in West Sussex. The latest crime figures are available from the Sussex Police website.
The work of the Council can impact on community safety in many varied ways; the siting of a bus shelter, the location of a footpath on a new housing estate, or the provision of a service for elderly people.
Community Safety cuts across the entire work of the Council. For example the successful Neighbourhood Warden schemes at Ashington and at Steyning have now been joined by the District wide Street Scene Team.
Useful Numbers
Sussex Police (emergency) - 999
Sussex Police (non-emergency) – 0845 60 70 999
Crimestoppers (if you have information regarding a crime) 0800 555 111
Horsham Domestic Violence Drop In – 07961 022442 (Thursdays)
Domestic Violence Helpline - 0207 392 2092
Childline - 0800 1111
Samaritans - 0345 909090
Horsham Mediation Service - (01403) 258900
Horsham Victim Support - (01403) 750450