Safer Streets initiative helps to reduce anti-social behaviour cases in Balderton by 28%

During October 2024, compared with the three-year average for the same period before the project began, ASB is down significantly.

This comes after investment in anti-crime and ASB measures, which have been delivered through the Safer Streets 5 project with grant funding from the Home Office. As a result of that funding, Newark and Sherwood District Council, Balderton Parish Council, Nottinghamshire Police and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner have ensured funds have been used to help tackle neighbourhood crime, antisocial behaviour and improve community safety.

This is the fourth time Newark and Sherwood has benefitted from Safer Streets funding and over £1 million has been invested within Newark and Sherwood to date.

Projects delivered as a result of this funding include the construction of youth pod at Coronation Park, the installation of new 4G CCTV cameras and improved lighting in key areas and the addition of benches and bins to reduce litter and create a more welcoming environment.

These environmental improvements have been included in the project to target and reduce what is known as the broken windows theory, which suggests that that if an area has littering, graffiti or visible signs of vandalism around it, it will often serve to attract other crime and antisocial behaviour.

Councillor Paul Taylor, Portfolio Holder for Public Protection and Community Relations at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “Safer Streets 5 has been a great success in Balderton, and it’s rewarding to know our hard work is having an impact.

“We’ve introduced many measures since the campaign started which has already seen more CCTV, benches and bins put around the community.

“We know that ASB can have a negative impact on the quality of life of our residents and businesses, and we are committed to working with our partners Balderton Parish Council, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire, Nottinghamshire Police and our communities to address it.

“The campaign has so far been really beneficial to the area, and we’re excited to bring even more to the community to help tackle ASB.”

There’s still more to come from the Safer Streets 5 work in the coming months. In January there will be a graffiti workshop at Coronation Street Park with young people who use the newly built youth pod.

Figures shared in the Bassetlaw, Newark and Sherwood Performance Monitoring report for October also show the reduction in residential burglary by 86% and theft from vehicle offences reduced by 45% in October 2024 when compared with the three-year average for the same period.

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden said: “It is great that the people of Balderton can see that the improvements provided through Safer Streets funding are making a difference in their local area.

“This is just one of many examples in Nottinghamshire where partners are coming together to ensure different locations are provided with high-visibility patrols, efficient community engagement and local problem solving to reduce antisocial behaviour and make communities safer.

“The figures undoubtedly show that the improvements to lighting and new CCTV cameras are having the desired effect in Balderton and making it a more secure community.”

Councillor Jane Buxton, Chair of Balderton Parish Council, said: “We’ve really enjoyed working together with our Safer Street partners by pooling our local knowledge and experience and the outcomes have really benefited our community already.

“We’ve seen a big difference to the area, and I hope our residents can see we are doing what we can to reduce anti-social behaviour in the area to make them feel safer when out and about in Balderton.”

The previous round of Safer Streets funding saw interventions such as vehicle crime prevention days, new intercom systems, an innovative Safer Gyms scheme and more.