Community bodies join forces to fight crime

The two rural North Yorkshire districts are now being served by one community safety partnership after the two previous organisations got the formal go-ahead to merge from the Government last month.

The Hambleton and Richmondshire Community Safety Partnership will now take over the responsibility for reducing crime and disorder. It is intended to combat the misuse of drugs, alcohol and other substances, in the hope of reducing re-offending across both districts.

Made up of partners from the local authorities, police, the fire brigade, the Probation Service, health and other voluntary and community organisations, the partnerships have been working closely together for the last 12 months.

Partnership chairman, Liz Smith, admitted attempts to counter crime and anti-social behaviour needed to be revised amid the public sector cutbacks, and 2011/12 will be an “interesting and challenging year”.

But she stressed key priorities remained alcohol issues, anti-social behaviour, domestic abuse and road safety, and added: “The new structure is already creating efficiencies for partners - local problem solving continues but with the opportunity for shared projects and effective responses covering both areas rather than one.

“This shared approach also enables the partnership to be flexible to respond to a changing community safety landscape whether this be as a result of Government expectations, local issues or a new approach at a county level.”

Senior community safety officer, Chris Fields, added: “We are already seeing the benefits and in the future we hope to be even more streamlined.”