How Council Contribute to Community Safety

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Last revised: 1 September 2008

Kennet District Council is responsible for many key local services which have a significant impact on community safety through the design and management of the physical, built environment and also through the social conditions that are perceived to cause crime in residential and rural areas.

The Local Authority can seek to reduce crime in many and varied ways through the application of our core services, for example:

Community Development Team

  • Through the work in preparing Community Strategies – at District and local level, the Council is actively involved in promoting the well-being and improved quality of life for our community.

  • The local problems, concerns, needs and priorities identified enable the Council to gain an understanding of the relative importance attached to crime and disorder, and this supplements the focused work of the Community Safety Officer who co-ordinates and leads specific Community Safety Issues.

  • Community Development also involves numerous other partnerships which each provide routes for partners and the community to raise issues about Community Safety.

Community Safety Team

  • Co-ordinates and facilitates the implementation of the Strategy by all relevant partners and the community.

  • Participate in the Strategic Action Task Groups to ensure links are made between agencies and the community

  • Liaise regularly with the Lead officers from the other statutory partners to ensure that crime reduction targets are met, to share good practise, and ensure consistency relating to county wide services.

  • Work with Town and Parish councils to advise them of their responsibilities under Section 17.

  • Ensures that all Kennet services are aware of their responsibilities under Section 17

  • Co-ordinates responses to reports of anti-social behaviour

Environment and Amenity Services

  • Action on Graffiti and vandalism repairs

  • Maintenance of play areas and public open spaces

  • Secure car parks

  • Efficient collection and disposal of refuse

  • Misuse of public conveniences

Environmental Health & Protection Services

  • Noise Nuisance

  • Health and Safety and crime

  • Health promotion – fear of crime, firework safety

  • Stray dogs

  • Licensing

Financial Services

  • Maintain systems for auditing the costs of community safety activity

  • Business rates – can provide advice about preventing business crime

  • Housing Benefits – prevention of fraud, and also when the officers visit many homes in the district they help identify problems and vulnerable people in the community

Forward Planning

  • Preparation of planning briefs

  • The Local plan aims to advance sustainable development and incorporates objectives and principles relating to safety, e.g. personal safety and freedom from crime through design, creation of new communities which are attractive and well designed.

Housing Services and Homes@Kennet

  • Homelessness

  • Domestic Violence & refuges

Human Resources

  • Diversity and Equalities Policies

Information Services and IT

  • The website provides useful links and contacts for agencies and members of the community on all matters relating to crime reduction and community safety.

Legal Services

  • Enforcement Action – e.g. Anti-Social Behaviour Orders

  • Noise and Statutory Nuisance Notices

Leisure Services

  • Sports facilities for young people

  • Provision of recreational/diversionary activities

Local Authority elected members

  • Members have a clear role in directing the input of the Local Authority to the crime and disorder reduction work through normal committee structures, and through the accountability of the Chief Executive to them.

Public Relations

  • The Council’s Public Relations Officer has regular contact with the Community Safety Officer and the Partnership Media officer to discuss media coverage of crime and disorder issues.

Contact our Community Safety Team

Tel : 01380 724911
Email : community.safety@kennet.gov.uk