New ways to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in Leeds to be discussed as part of Safer Leeds plans

Members of Leeds City Council’s executive board will discuss a refreshed version of the ‘Safer Leeds’ partnership strategy at Civic Hall on Wednesday, November 17. The Safer Leeds partnership is a scheme that aims to keep people safe from harm, prevent and reduce offending and create stronger community. Working alongside partners like West Yorkshire Police and the West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue service, among others, the aims are to address antisocial and criminal behaviour, reduce organised crime, hate crime and crime relating to drugs and alcohol. It also aims to safeguard communities and vulnerable victims, including those experiencing domestic violence, sexual violence and abuse and those at risk of coercion and criminal exploitation. The plan is now to be updated for the next three years. Moving forward, the Safer Leeds partnership will look at how victims can be further supported, how offending can be reduced and prevented, and how neighbourhoods can be safer. Deputy leader of Leeds City Council and executive member with responsibility for Safer Leeds, Councillor Debra Coupar, said: "People living in Leeds have a right to live in a safe, clean and tolerant society and everyone has a responsibility to behave in a way that respects this right. "Although we have seen much success over the past three years, we must now work to build on that and continue to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and protect and support victims. “Feedback from the community and research we have carried out suggests that the nature and type of crime is also changing and evolving; for example, cyber related crime has become more prevalent and together with our partners we need to be vigilant of technology being used for the wrong reasons. “As a compassionate city, preventing victimisation and supporting people harmed by crime is central to our work, as is tailoring our response to individual needs. "This is why it’s so important that we have a people-focused approach and that we are informed by, and work with people with lived experience, to shape services.” Achievements over the last three years include a reduction in recorded crime and real positive changes in the way victims are supported and encouraged to report crimes. The council said its ambition is now to get to the root causes of the issues in the areas worst affected, with an increased emphasis on early identification and prevention that enable and create opportunities to allow all communities to prosper safely. A decision on the plan will be made at the council’s executive board meeting at Civic Hall on Wednesday November 17,