Gloucestershire remains one of the safest places in the country to live and work, but that doesn’t mean we should be complacent as crime across the country is on the rise and Gloucestershire is no exception. That’s why tackling crime, fear of crime, vulnerability and anti-social behaviour are key priorities for Safer Gloucestershire and the county’s Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs) over the next few years. To view our Gloucestershire Community Safety Strategy 2019-2022 please click the link below:

In April 2018 Safer Gloucestershire undertook a Strategic Needs Assessment (SNA) which provides a solid evidential basis for planning and delivery of community safety activity at County, District, thematic and cohort levels. This identified six priority areas:

Locality based crime

The six district councils in Gloucestershire each have a Community Safety Partnership (or equivalent) to meet its obligations under the Crime and Disorder Act.  A number have a wider remit than community safety.

The relationship between the CSPs and Safer Gloucestershire is one of partnership which acknowledges that whilst the statutory duty risk is at a district/locality level, many of our key challenges are best tackled by agencies structured on a County level.

Social isolation

We know that loneliness can affect anyone – from teenagers and young adults to new parents, carers, and the recently bereaved, from students starting university to older people and those with disabilities, from those moving to a new area of the country to refugees.  A ‘deep dive’ on social isolation and loneliness looked at the factors affecting people’s experiences and service’s perceptions on social isolation and loneliness in Gloucestershire. The key objective is to create a county where loneliness and social isolation are recognised openly as something likely to affect us all.

Domestic abuse/ sexual violence

The term DASV is used to cover domestic abuse, sexual violence, honour-based violence, forced marriage, female genital mutilation and stalking.

Gloucestershire’s commitment is to ensuring a zero-tolerance approach. This includes identifying and offering help earlier to victims and families affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence; supporting professionals from all organisations to support victims in coming forward; and working together to make best use of resources.

Safeguarding children

Gloucestershire County Council, working with local partners, recently set out its vision for Gloucestershire in its ‘Looking to the Future 2019-22’ document. This identifies key priorities for children and young people; including securing their health and wellbeing and ensuring they have access to a good quality school. This ensures a child friendly vision for the county, which puts children at the heart of decision making and listens to their voices. The arrangements set out in Working Together 2018 will contribute to the achievement of those priorities.

Substance/alcohol  misuse

Public Health is carrying out a ‘deep dive’ into drug and alcohol use in Gloucestershire about current drug and alcohol related concerns and specific issues that are affecting individuals, families, communities and population health in Gloucestershire.  This exercise will help with:

• Establishing need, priorities and expected performance levels for future commissioning of services
• Scoping and developing system wide working
• Informing the development of support for people with complex needs

Violence, vulnerability and exploitation

A Violence Prevention Working Group has been established under the Safer Gloucestershire group to look into the issues of preventing violence in the county.

This will include overlaying and mapping current work within the county, and establishing what gaps there are (if any).  This will enable alignment and development of future activity in line with the national strategy, local priorities and in closing the gaps identified.

Safer Gloucestershire research

The largest ever research project of its kind in Gloucestershire into violent crime has been commissioned and funded by Gloucestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Martin Surl as part of his commitment to enhance public safety through Safer Gloucestershire.

The research was conducted using a public health approach by violence prevention coordinator, Sophie Jarrett and has explored the issue of violent crime within the county. The research concludes that despite a lower-than-average rate of violent crime, there are improvements to be made in local provision that could help to prevent violence.

Read more about this research: Biggest ever research into violent crime in Gloucestershire revealed in new report

More about Safer Gloucestershire Meetings here: