Posted on 5th Oct
A crackdown on burglary, vehicle crime and bicycle theft is under way to improve public safety in Newark thanks to a new £550,000 joint project led by Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping.
The PCC secured funding from the Home Office’s £25m Safer Streets Fund in July and is working closely with Newark and Sherwood District Council, Nottinghamshire Police and Nottinghamshire County Council to improve the lives of people living in the Chatham Court and Northgate areas of the district.
The project is now set to get under way through a package of measures, including installing better street lighting, new ANPR and CCTV cameras, increased cycle security and environmental improvements.
The crime prevention team will also provide tailored crime prevention advice to residents, with the aim of making victims feel safer and to prevent crime from happening again.
The scheme will include:
•Additional and upgraded street lighting – increased visibility and more effective natural surveillance to help deter crime.
•Increased cycle security such as locks, storage facilities and GPS trackers, as well as bike marking sessions to protect cycles from theft.
•Upgrading existing and the provision of new CCTV – improving a series of existing CCTV locations with the latest high definition CCTV cameras.
•Establishing a ‘Community Hub’ to house a warden-type service to provide a single point of contact for residents to easily access support, advice and assistance.
•Carrying out environmental improvements to remove visible signs of crime, anti-social behaviour, and civil disorder that encourage further crime – including issues of graffiti, fly-tipping, overgrown shrubbery, unkempt gardens, abandoned vehicles.
The grant will also fund the appointment of a new Burglary Reduction Officer to work with the local community undertaking risk assessments of properties at risk of burglary, organising improvements to security including new door locks, window alarms and security lighting.
Nottinghamshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping said: “This funding presents us with a fantastic opportunity to improve problems that are detrimental to quality of life in Newark and cause misery for residents.
“While our overall ambition is to reduce crime in this area and remove the opportunity for harm, this work is also about improving the mental wellbeing of those who live and work in Newark, reducing vulnerability and increasing feelings of safety and security.
“Team work is central to the delivery of this project and we are drawing upon the expertise of a wide range of professionals to increase community resilience, improve the physical environment for residents and make Newark an inhabitable place for criminals. It’s an exciting project and I’m looking forward to seeing the results.”
Coun David Lloyd, leader of the district council, said: “We are putting these measures in place to help our residents continue to feel safe, supported and protected.
“Our priority is always to make sure our district remains a safe and welcoming place to live, work and visit and the Safer Street funding in Newark is a welcome boost in ensuring we focus on hotspots and continue driving down crime in a targeted way.
“Our residents’ survey and Towns Fund consultation indicated that crime, and the fear of crime, were people’s top priorities especially in parts of Newark where feelings of safety were significantly lower than the national and county average, most notably at night-time. I’m delighted the project is now underway and it will make a real difference on residents’ lives.”
Inspector Heather Sutton, district commander for Newark and Sherwood, said: “This is great news for the local area and will positively impact on the quality of life for those living in the Newark area. Burglary, vehicle crime and bicycle theft can have a corrosive effect on a neighbourhood.
“Using the money secured from the Safer Streets Fund to install better street lighting, new ANPR and CCTV cameras, and increase cycle security are simple but effective modifications which will no doubt have a huge impact on the area and do a lot to prevent crimes like this happening in first place.
“I look forward as the local neighbourhood inspector to build on the relationships with the local community and partners to implement the Safer Streets solutions.”
