Lead Partnerships
The Alliance's Lead Partnerships are the groups that work together to improve the quality of life in the borough. Each Partnership consists of members from local public sector organisations and community groups. Find out more about each Lead Partnership in this section.
Community Safety Partnership
Your partners for a safer stronger neighbourhood.
What is the Community Safety Partnership?
The Welwyn Hatfield Community Safety Partnership (CSP) was formed in the early 1990s to reduce the incidence and fear of crime and disorder, and the harmful effects of the misuse of drugs in the borough. The partnership is effective because various organisations can plan and deliver together.
The CSP brings many local organisations together to help create safer, happier, nicer environments for the community. The organisations involved include: Hertfordshire Constabulary, Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, Hertfordshire County Council, Hertfordshire Police Authority, East & North Herts Primary Care Trust, Probation Service, University of Hertfordshire and many local community and voluntary groups. Together they tackle issues that have a detrimental impact on residents’ quality of life.
In addition, the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 placed a statutory duty on the borough council, the police and other public bodies to work together for a safer stronger Welwyn Hatfield.
The partnership is measured against targets agreed with Government Office for the East of England (GO-East) Public Service Agreement PSA1.
What does the Community Safety Partnership do?
The CSP takes a lead for the Safer Community strand of the Community Plan as part of the Welwyn Hatfield Alliance. The partnership also has a Community Safety Strategy (also available in a summarised version) which illustrates patterns of crime and disorder and sets out how the CSP will respond to people’s safety concerns and improve the situation.
Within this strategy the CSP has agreed four strategic priorities for 2005 -2008:
- Reduce crime
- Reduce anti-social behaviour and alcohol related disorder
- Reduce harm caused to communities by drugs misuse
- Reduce the fear of crime
Overall the partnership aims to reduce crime (in the categories comparable with those measured by the British Crime Survey) by 18.5% between 2003 and 2008.
Highlights so far
- Public engagement including home safety, community safety and crime prevention exhibitions, 14 Community Involvement Days to date and three public question time events.
- CCTV funded and introduced in various locations around the borough, including Gosling Sport Park, Welwyn Garden City town centre, King George's Fields (KGV), Hatfield Hilltop, Welham Green and Woodhall.
- Student initiatives around burglary, anti-social behaviour and race hate.
- Better recording of race hate crime and introduction of hate crime reporting centres.
- Support of Neighbourhood Watch and PubWatch, and development of City Watch.
- Introduction of a 'sanctuary' scheme for those in fear of domestic violence.
- Positive activities for young people, such as Crucial Crew, Moonlight Football and the Phoenix fire project.
- Effective targeting of prolific and priority offenders.
- Flourishing anti-social behaviour forum and MAGPYE (Multi Agency Group for Prevention of Youth Exclusion).
- Oak Grove environmental improvement project.
- Reduction of drug use through support of Parental Drug Awareness Service and Drug Intervention Programme (DIP), Operation Crystal (targeting drug dealers) and the introduction of the Substance Misuse Group.
- Street Wardens patrolling key areas and actively responding to needle finds.
- Increased number of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).
Overall the CSP is currently on track to meet its 18.5% reduction in "BCS-comparator" crime.
How to contact the Community Safety Partnership
Want to know more or make suggestions? Please contact:
Jay Patel, Community Safety Partnership Co-ordinator
Tel: 01707 357 524
Email feelsafe@welhat.gov.uk
Other useful community safety contacts
Non-urgent report to the Hertfordshire Constabulary: 0845 3300222
WHBC anti-social behaviour enforcement: 01707 357083
WHBC Environmental Health (including noise nuisance): 01707 357 000
WHBC Environmental Service (including fly-tipping): 01707 357000
Crimestoppers (to give information anonymously): 0800 555111
Domestic Violence Advice: 08088 088088
Women’s Refuge: 01707 270056
Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (Free fire safety check of you home): 0800 587 3347