Community safety is an area of concern for all communities. It is consistently a high public priority and one that can affect the quality of life for individuals and entire communities.
Tackling community safety issues cannot be achieved by the police alone but is dependent on a number of organisations and services working together to find solutions to problems that affect local communities; local councils are a key partner in this. There is a statutory duty on each local authority area to have a Community Safety Partnership in place, including representatives from the local authority, the Police Force, the Police Authority, the Fire and Rescue Authority, and the Local Health Board and Probation. Each local authority also has to have a crime and disorder scrutiny committee, which ensures that councillors have an opportunity to scrutinise and influence the community safety partnership.
The role of local authorities
Community safety covers a broad range of policies including policing, crime and disorder, reducing re-offending, anti-social behaviour, substance misuse, domestic abuse, and fire. In addition to the specific role played by local authorities as part of the partnerships, many other core local authority services contribute to making Wales’ communities safe including:
- transport - for road safety
- education - promoting citizenship and diverting young people away from crime
- environment – responding to and preventing environmental crime such as graffiti and fly-tipping
- housing - protecting residents from anti-social behaviour
- social services - protecting vulnerable people and the victims of crime and coordinating Youth Offending Teams
- leisure and culture – providing alternative activities for those at risk of offending
- planning – designing a built environment that discourages crime and anti social behaviour
- community services – providing warden schemes and CCTV schemes
- regulatory services – promotion of the statutory licensing objects under the Licensing Act 2003 regarding the prevention of crime and disorder and protection of the public
The role of local authorities in helping to deliver the community safety agenda is further reinforced by the broad duty set out under Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act whereby local authorities are required to consider crime and disorder and anti-social behaviour in the discharge of all of their functions.
The governance of policing is expected to change significantly by the 2012 elections. In September 2011, the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act became law. As a result of the changes introduced within the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act, in November 2012 the Police Authority will cease to exist and voters across Wales will be electing a Police and Crime Commissioner (PCCs) for each of the four Police Force areas in Wales.
The PCC will set policing priorities, decide on the precept (the money which comes to policing from the Council Tax), appoint the Chief Constable, hold the Chief Constable to account for policing services delivered through the Police force area and if necessary dismiss the Chief Constable.
Each PCC will be scrutinised by a Police and Crime Panel (PCP) which will be made up of at least 10 local councillors from the local authorities within the police force area and two independent members. The Panel will act as a critical friend, offering challenge and support as appropriate.
Key Facts
- Crime levels in England and Wales have fallen consistently over a number years; in 2009-10 recorded crime in Wales had fallen 6% compared to 2008-09.
- Despite this trend, however, a majority of the public believe that crime rates are rising nationally.
Further Information