Have your say on Community Safety concerns in Stratford District so they can be tackled together

People who live, work or study in Warwickshire can have their say on how they feel about community safety in a survey by the Safer Warwickshire Partnership.

The survey will help to shape the work of the partnership, which includes representatives from Warwickshire's councils, Fire and Rescue service, Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner, the Probation Service, Health, and charitable organisations.

The survey will ask people to give their views about current community safety issues, to find out about any concerns. 

It will help to give the partnership a bigger picture of what issues there are, what needs to be prioritised and how the partners can best work together to tackle them, with the aim of increasing how safe people feel in the county.  

People can complete the survey online at https://ask.warwickshire.gov.uk/.

Previous examples of partners working together to address local people's community safety issues include the 'Dob 'Em In' project, which was relaunched as a direct response to members of the public reporting to partners that they were fed up with the anti-social behaviour caused by nuisance motorbikes.

Communities who have information on the offenders, the bikes they use and where they are stored can now anonymously supply this information using an online form rather than report directly to the police. As a result, there has been an increase in intelligence provided by local people which is being followed up by partners.

Councillor Andy Crump, Chair of the Safer Warwickshire Partnership Board and Portfolio Holder for Community Safety at Warwickshire County Council, said: "We want to know what the concerns and priorities of people are, so those that make decisions about community safety can look to tackle issues that are affecting those that live, work or study in Warwickshire.

"As a partnership, we're already doing a lot to help make Warwickshire as safe as possible. But we know there is more that can be done through better understanding of how crimes and incidents impact on your feeling of safety.

"This survey aims to find out what influences how safe you feel and what the concerns are in different areas, whether it be crime, anti-social behaviour, substance misuse, violence, feeling safe in public spaces or something else. Tell us about it.

"It will enable us as a partnership to make better informed decisions, improve our work and help ensure that we are promoting action in the right areas."

Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe is also encouraging all residents to complete the survey.

He said: "This survey will help community safety partners to understand your community safety concerns and guide the development of targeted solutions. It will also help me as Police and Crime Commissioner as I work on shaping the priorities of the next Police and Crime Plan for the county.

"What you say now will help all partners to develop the right strategic plans to meet local needs, ensuring that public feedback is at the heart of what we do. 

"By sharing your thoughts now, you're therefore directly influencing how we approach policing and community safety in Warwickshire. So please don't miss this opportunity to make your voice heard over the next month."

For more information and to give your views, go to https://ask.warwickshire.gov.uk/

The results will be analysed in the summer of 2024, and used to inform the setting of local community safety priorities from the autumn onwards.

The survey is running until Sunday 4 August.