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RESPECT success in Liverpool
A CRIME and
grime-busting initiative in Liverpool has had a massive impact on
crime and anti-social behaviour. An independent study shows
the RESPECT weeks of action, which start again next week, have
proved hugely successful in tackling issues such as vandalism,
litter, fly tipping and truancy as well as providing education,
employment and training opportunities.
The city kicks off its 2008/9 programme of activity on Monday
23 June 2008, in Kirkdale with a massive clean up of a grotspot which has
become a real eyesore. It is the first of a new series of 9 weeks of
action taking place between now and March 2009. An evaluation
of last year’s programme from May 2007 to March 2008, commissioned by Citysafe, Liverpool’s crime and disorder reduction partnership,
reveals:-
• 338 people were arrested for offences including robbery, drugs,
assault and criminal damage
• 119 dispersal order warnings were issued
• 92 litres of alcohol were seized
• 1500 vehicles were stopped at roadside points
• 462 vehicles were seized for insurance and driving licence
offences
• 600 penalty notices were handed out to offending drivers
• 3000 people received crime prevention advice
• 128 fly tipping sites were cleared
• 150 community skips with 200 tonnes of rubbish were filled
The weeks of action are organised by Liverpool First partners
including the city council, Merseyside Police, Mersey Fire and
Rescue Service, the Primary Care Trust and others.
The study shows that 6 of the 9 areas targeted saw reductions in
crime in the month following the initiative. They were: Tuebrook and
Stoneycroft; Lodge Lane; Croxteth; Everton; Speke-Garston and
Kensington and Fairfield. There were also reductions in calls about
anti-social behaviour in Lodge Lane; Speke-Garston; Kensington and
Fairfield and Anfield.
Councillor Marilyn Fielding, executive member for safer, stronger
communities, said:- “This report demonstrates quite clearly
that our weeks of action have had a major impact on crime and anti
social behaviour. Liverpool is already one of the safest
metropolitan cities in the country and this excellent programme has
helped contribute to the massive 28% drop in offences registered in
the most recent British Crime Survey.”
Councillor Berni Turner, executive member for environment, said:-
“We are absolutely committed to making Liverpool cleaner and
greener and the RESPECT weeks of action are making a visible
difference to local communities right across the city. By
working closely with our partners in the public and voluntary sector
and targeting areas with a significant amount of resources we can
make a really positive difference.”
52% of the 1779 residents surveyed said they were aware of the weeks
of action, while 22% said they had felt encouraged to become
involved. 49% said the weeks of action had a positive impact and 43%
felt the council and its partners had done a good job.
Comments from residents who attended a debrief meeting following the
event included:-
“Our area is spick and span now”
“It was lovely to see people working together”
“It works”
The report also shows that hundreds of people got involved in
positive activities which took place as part of the weeks of action. They included:
• 3500 people advised about employment opportunities resulting in
300 individual referrals
• 400 young people took part in football coaching or cycling
proficiency tests
• 500 young people attended discos
Liverpool’s Head of Community Safety, Alison Stathers-Tracey, said:-
“The feedback from residents and our partners will be used to
make sure that we make an even bigger impact during the 2008/9
RESPECT programme. The success of the weeks is testament to
the hard work and co-operation of many different organisations and
the challenge now is to build on that during this year’s programme.“
During the week of action in Kirkdale, there will be a series of
enforcement activities such as police patrols, truancy sweeps and
litter picks. A number of events for the local community will also
take place, including:-
Monday 23 June at
Jobs Café at the Community Justice Centre, Boundary Street -
10am to 4pm and
Crime Prevention advice at League of Well Doers, Lime Kiln Lane
from 11am to 1:30pm
Tuesday 24 June at
Pamper day with health, lifestyle and beauty advice at Kirkdale
Neighbourhood Centre - 9am to 5pm and
Fagends stop smoking support group at Bousfield Surgery, Westminster
Road from 3pm
Wednesday 25 June at the
Cycle for health bike ride at Walton Hall Park from 10am (book a place
on 0151 234 5064) and at the
Jobs Café at Kirkdale Neighbourhood Council, Stanley Road - 10am to 4pm
Thursday 26 June at
Crime prevention roadshow at Paradise Island bingo on Carisbrooke
Road - 2 to 4pm and at the
Healthy community information session at Fountains Road Children’s
Centre - 1 to 3pm
Friday 27 June at the
Crime prevention roadshow at Paradise Island Bingo on Carisbrooke
Road - 9am to 4pm and also at the
Health, wellbeing, parenting and jobs advice at Power League on
Whittle Street - 9am to 3pm
A full calendar of
events for the Kirkdale RESPECT week is available at
www.liverpool.gov.uk/enforcement. |
Screen Test
THERE'S no doubt that modern cars
are structurally far superior to models widely available in years
gone by. One of the recent trends in structural safety has had a
possible downside in terms of driver vision - the growth of the A
pillar.
The A pillar is the engineering term for the area dividing the
windscreen and the windows. In recent years the A pillars have
become sturdier in a bid to improve the structure of the car as a
whole. In response, car designers have made them thicker.
But the A pillar has created a blind spot which campaigners have
pointed out obstructs the vision of thousands of drivers.
A study commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT) from the
Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) found that, while the A pillar
can obscure vision, there is rarely only one factor that contributes
to an accident. The study therefore found that there was
not enough evidence to suggest that changes to current legislation
regarding A pillar design would be of benefit.
That means the onus is on drivers to cater for possible A pillar
restriction. So what should we do?
More than 90% of the information from the car's external environment
is viewed by the driver through the windscreen and windows.
So, firstly, you should be aware of the potential restriction the A
pillar may cause in your ability to scan the road ahead.
It is vital to check that nothing is hidden from view by the A
pillar before making a manoeuvre. Pedestrians, cyclists and
motorcyclists are easy to "lose" in the space behind a
pillar. Make sure you take time to look around the pillar, not just
take a quick "snap-shot" look which could allow a cyclist to
be hidden from view.
As you are driving in a straight line in approach to a junction,
look further ahead, and scan to the left and right on your approach. That way you will see things through the windscreens before they
become "lost" behind the pillars.
Remember - good, all round vision is vital. The onus is on you, as
the driver, to see what is there.
More information about the DfT study click
here.
Knowsely College are finalists in AAT accounting competition
CHERYL Johnson, Helen Jones and
Karl Kerr from Knowsely College have reached the final of the
Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) category of the
WorldSkills UK competition. The final to be held in London on
28 June 2008, will decide who the overall winner is. Six teams
of three contestants from across the UK will be battling it out.
This competition will test accounting skills in the following
areas:- financial accounting, preparing ledger balances, preparing
reports and returns. To be eligible, entrants had to be
studying the AAT Accounting Qualification Level 3 and have completed
their Level 2.
WorldSkills UK is a portfolio of 70 skills competitions designed by
leading industry experts and training providers aimed at students,
trainees and employees. Run annually these competitions aim to
encourage young people and adults across England, Northern Ireland,
Scotland and Wales to excel in their vocational skill area.
Top performers in certain competitions could get the opportunity to
enter an international WorldSkills Competition. The most
recent was Japan 2007. The next will be Canada 2009 followed
by London 2011.
SOUTHPORT SEWER
IMPROVEMENT SCHEME DUE TO RE-START
IN May the
company contacted customers in Upper Aughton Road to confirm that
work would be suspended for four weeks due to the potential effect
it may have had on local businesses.
The time has come however for engineers to return to site Monday, 30
June 2008 and carry out their work until its completion, which is
expected to be by 31 July 2008.
United Utilities' Project Manager Ken Gee said:- "During our
work we will need to close Upper Aughton Road between Andreas Close
and Everton Road for three weeks to allow for some further
excavation work which will stabilise the 100 plus year old brick
sewer. We will then insert a liner so that the sewer can be
restored to full serviceability. At the end of the project,
almost half a kilometre of sewer will have been fully refurbished.
We are doing everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum.
We understand that our work may cause some short-term inconvenience
for local residents but the long-term improvements will make it all
worthwhile. This is one of the many improvement schemes our
customers' bills help to fund."
These improvements are part of United Utilities' £2.9 billion water
quality and environmental improvement programme between 2005 to
2010.
‘Pool Party at the Bluecoat
AS part of
June’s Garden focus the Bluecoat has invited Pool to host a
midsummer eve’s picnic in their newly refurbished garden. Part
garden party and part networking event, bring food and drink and
share ideas and experiences as we celebrate our community of local
growers. We guarantee you will meet some other interesting
characters who can tell you stories about the food chain all the way
from the seed to your plate. Do you want more local food in
the shops, on your plate or from your garden? Have you
always wanted to buy local but wondered about the expense?
‘Pool’s programme for 2008 is about local production and how
we can grow food everyone can afford. ‘Pool has developed links with
people who grow food all over Merseyside, from commercial organic
farmers to people with allotments and rooftop gardens. We’re
developing a plan to grow more food locally in our open spaces.
Whether you grow, sell or enjoy eating local food and want to find
out more this is an important date for your diary.
If you grow your own
in Merseyside and want to get involved or simply want to find out
more bring a picnic to the Bluecoat, the site of Liverpool’s oldest
garden on Sunday 29 June 2008 from 6pm ‘til late. Meet others
who want more local food, discuss the future, share ideas, make
plans and have fun! |
