Partnership sets out plans for creating safer communities

Efforts are being stepped up to help residents feel safer in Worthing and Adur, while making all sections of the community feel more included as part of a long-term plan in the wake of the COVID pandemic.

The new Adur and Worthing Safer Communities Partnership Strategy (2021-2024), which has been developed by the Adur and Worthing Safer Communities Partnership and is informed by local intelligence, sets out six key strategic priorities. These are:

• reducing the harm caused by serious organised and acquisitive crime
• increasing safety for vulnerable adults and children
• improving pathways out of offending and reoffending
• increasing community cohesion and reducing antisocial behaviour and hate crime
• reducing public place violent crime with a focus on youth safety
• and tackling social inequality and the drivers of crime

The new strategy builds on the Partnership's existing workstreams, which have focused on delivering an innovative programme for safeguarding children and young people against the growing threat of exploitation and the impact of youth violence.

Kevin Boram Chair, Adur and Worthing Safer Communities Partnership, said:

“The pandemic has created many challenges, but it is clear some have been impacted more adversely than others.

“This strategy builds on the innovative work already being delivered and identifies clear partnership priorities taking into account the detailed work undertaken by both Adur and Worthing councils to better understand our communities.

“The pandemic has clearly shown the value and importance of our communities, their cohesion and resilience. At the same time, it has emphasised the challenges we are facing.

“This strategy builds on those strengths and uses an asset based community approach to build on each communities' strengths to tackle the issues it faces. We recognise the importance of social inequality and other drivers of crime and will focus on measures to reduce their impact and work with other services to provide a safe and sustainable environment and opportunities for all.

“The recent appalling crimes against women, the exploitation of the young and vulnerable in the commitment of crime and the increased violence against children and minoritised groups are all matters which are identified as our priorities for the future. We know much of that crime is hidden within our communities, made worse by the lockdowns, and we know are under-reported, but with close working partnership between all members of the Adur & Worthing Safer Communities Partnership and other stakeholders, I am convinced that we can make a positive impact on our communities' well-being and safety.”

The aim of the Adur and Worthing Safer Communities Partnership Strategy, which was endorsed at a meeting of the Councils' Joint Strategic Committee last week, is to make Adur and Worthing places where people who live, work and visit feel safe and are safe, with an emphasis on women and girls' safety and understanding the impact of crime and disorder on black and minoritised ethnic communities.

The Adur and Worthing Safer Communities Partnership consists of Adur and Worthing Councils, The Office of Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, Sussex Police, West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, The National Probation Service, West Sussex County Council and the Community Works (Voluntary Sector), with funding from the West Sussex Violence Reduction Partnership.

Photo: The strategy has an emphasis on women and girls' safety and understanding the impact of crime and disorder on black and minoritised ethnic communities.