Partners took to the streets during ASB Awareness Week
Community safety partners in Wirral spoke to hundreds of residents – and provided information to hundreds more – during a weeklong programme of activities in support of the annual national Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Awareness Week last week.
Staff from a range of council teams and officers from Merseyside Police joined representatives from the likes of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, social housing providers and community groups in the programme.
Activities ranged from leaflet drops, door-knocking and talking to residents in the street, to litter picks, alleyway clearing and home fire safety checks.
When I became council leader, I highlighted crime - and particularly environmental crime and anti-social behaviour - as one of my priorities to look at as I see and know the disproportionate impact this kind of behaviour has on many of our communities, severely affecting the quality of life for hardworking residents.
It is heartening to see how well the communities targeted during ASB Awareness Week engaged with partners and it is clear that agencies like the police, council and social housing providers have received a lot of information and intelligence they can act on to improve the situation for residents.
The week kicked off with a large multi-agency presence in Liscard as the council launched its consultation exercise on proposals to implement a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in Liscard.
Staff from Wirral Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour Team, supported by officers from Merseyside Police, delivered more than 600 letters promoting the consultation to residents in and around the area where the PSPO is being proposed, with information on how they can take part and register their views. In addition, they spoke to people at more than 100 local businesses in the area also to tell them about the consultation.
Also on Monday, officers from the ASB team supported colleagues from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service in Moreton as they carried out ‘Complete Home Fire Safety Checks at 46 properties on and around Chapelhill Road.
Also in Moreton, on the Tuesday staff from the ASB team, police, Involve Northwest and Magenta Living combined to host a street surgery at Moreton Cross, before calling on residents on the Witley estate. Issues around fly-tipping and drug dealing were raised and are now in the process of being addressed by the relevant agencies.
Tuesday afternoon saw Grove Street in New Ferry as the centre of attention for officers as they spoke to residents, businesses and staff and pupils at the local primary school. They also actively investigated an incident that had been captured on CCTV by a local business and caught up with the perpetrators, taking their details and making arrangements to speak to their parents.
It was back to Moreton on Wednesday with agencies talking to residents around Stavordale Road about the issues they have been experiencing with anti-social behaviour and youth nuisance, before they team moved to engage with residents in Pensby in the afternoon.
Tranmere/Rock Ferry, New Brighton and Beechwood were the focus of efforts on Thursday. All 80 properties around Brougham Avenue in Tranmere/Rock Ferry were visited by a team consisting of colleagues from the ASB team, police, Involve Northwest and Magenta Living and as well as talking to them about local issues, they also offering residents access to a skip for them to get rid of bulky waste, which was quickly filled up by local people.
Riverside Housing officers joined the team in the afternoon Thursday as they delivered information and put up posters in New Brighton about people can report anti-social behaviour in the area.
At Greenacres Park, Beechwood around 60 children from 3 local schools - Manor Primary School, Bidston Village Primary School & St. Paul's Catholic Primary School – joined forces to do a litter pick around the park.
The week concluded with a significant partnership effort between the ASB team, police, Magenta Living and Involve Northwest with letter drops, visits to homes, shops and other businesses and community litter picks being carried out in Woodchurch and around Bidston Rise Community Centre.
People can report anti-social behaviour online at the Wirral Council website. You can also call 0151 606 2020 or email neighbour.nuisance@wirral.gov.uk
