Leeds City Council’s executive board to discuss refreshed strategy on tackling crime and keeping communities safe

Over the past three years, the council has worked with a range of partners including West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, West Yorkshire Probation Services, Leeds NHS, the Office of the West Yorkshire Crime Commissioner and Leeds based Voluntary and Community Sector, to implement the ‘Safer Leeds’ strategy. 

Achievements over the last three years include a reduction in recorded crime and real positive changes in the way victims are supported and encouraged to report crimes. 

The plan is now to be updated for the next three years, aiming to build on the work through strengthened relationships, for the benefit of all communities in the city.

From listening to our communities, the Safer Leeds partnership have heard how the impact of crime on individuals, families and neighbourhoods can be devastating and understand how the fear of crime can affect people. Some communities will experience crime and anti-social behaviour because of who they are, or where they live, and some may not feel comfortable in coming forward and reporting it. In turn, peoples’ experiences and perceptions can have a detrimental impact on their lives.

Moving forward, the Safer Leeds partnership will look at how victims can be further supported, how offending can be reduced and prevented, and how neighbourhoods can be safer.  The ambition is to get to the root causes of the issues in the areas worst affected, with an increased emphasis on early identification and prevention that enable and create opportunities to allow all communities to prosper safely.

A decision on the plan will be made at the council’s executive board meeting at Civic Hall on Wednesday 17 November. 

Councillor Debra Coupar, deputy leader of Leeds City Council and executive member with responsibility for Safer Leeds, said:  

“People living in Leeds have a right to live in a safe, clean and tolerant society and everyone has a responsibility to behave in a way that respects this right. Although we have seen much success over the past three years, we must now work to build on that and continue to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and protect and support victims.

“Feedback from the community and research we have carried out suggests that the nature and type of crime is also changing and evolving; for example, cyber related crime has become more prevalent and together with our partners we need to be vigilant of technology being used for the wrong reasons.

“As a compassionate city, preventing victimisation and supporting people harmed by crime is central to our work, as is tailoring our response to individual needs. This is why it’s so important that we have a people-focused approach and that we are informed by, and work with people with lived experience, to shape services.”