Published: Thursday 7 July 2022
Updated: Thursday 13 October 2022
A new three-year plan to make communities safer in Kensington and Chelsea has set out how the Council and its partners will protect communities from the harm of crime and antisocial behaviour.
The plan was agreed at last night’s (Wednesday 12 October) Full Council meeting.
After engagement with residents, young people, voluntary and community services and faith groups, the multi-agency Safer Kensington and Chelsea Partnership have set out four new priorities which will address crime and disorder in the borough. These are the things residents were most concerned about during consultation:
- Drug related offending. This was frequently mentioned in consultation in relation to youth violence and anti-social behaviour, but also the impact that organised offending and drug supply has on communities.
- Antisocial behaviour (ASB). A range of issues from begging, noisy neighbours and drivers to drug related behaviours.
- Youth violence with a focus upon knife crime, gangs and criminal exploitation.
- Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). Participants reported concerns about a rise in domestic abuse during the pandemic and about the sexual exploitation of children as well as the harassment of women and girls in public places.
Crime in Kensington and Chelsea is the lowest it has been in over ten years due to the effect of the pandemic. But prior to any Covid-19 restrictions, crime in the borough was the highest it had been in ten years. In 2019, Kensington and Chelsea had the third highest rate of crime per 1000 residents in London, and in 2021 it had the sixth.
Cllr Emma Will, Kensington and Chelsea Council’s Lead Member for Community Safety, said:
“We know the impact that crime can have on people’s lives. Police are the first responders to emergencies but we work side by side with our blue light services, probation services and charities to share intelligence, prevent crime and get support to people fast.
“We’ve listened to our residents and are acting to protect communities from the harm antisocial behaviour causes. Our community wardens team has been welcomed by residents and businesses alike. We’re funding new services to provide support for survivors of domestic abuse; educating young people to prevent crime and drug use and installing more CCTV.”
The plan describes the nature and extent of these issues and sets out how the Partnership will address these through prevention and early intervention, targeted support services, enforcement, community engagement, co-design with residents and environmental improvements to design out crime.
The Council will build on the areas that are working best and achieving the best outcomes for residents and those affected by crime and disorder. Many victims and the most vulnerable to crime are already being supported by a wide range of services and professionals.
As a result:
- 200 young people benefited from specialist case work support and safety planning.
- In the last two years, the Council has spent £500,000 on improving and increasing the number of public space cameras.
- Specialist VAWG services have supported 3000 women in 2021.
- The Parks Police and Community Safety Wardens have dealt with over 8000 issues in the last two years.