Members of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Communities Committee met this week (Tuesday 5 September) and received a report on the results of the 2016/17 Community Safety Survey.
Members heard that, after they agreed to a refocusing of the Community Safety Team at the January meeting, that people feel safer within their community.
The Community Safety Team is made up of just over 30 positions region-wide and focusses on the detection, deterrence and public awareness of anti-social behaviour such as littering, dog fouling and fly tipping. As well as this, the team also patrol disc zone car parks in Dumfries and Stranraer.
This year’s survey generated more than a 100% increase in responses, with 2,577 being received in the form of online, hard copy and face-to-face surveying. An action plan will be developed in the near future by the Community Safety Team to give a fuller picture of the survey results and feedback received.
The main headlines from the survey were;
• Over 93% of those surveyed feel safe or very safe in their neighbourhoods
• Dog fouling, littering and rowdy behaviour were the three most common problems
• Nearly half of respondents want dog fouling to be the top priority for the Community Safety Team
The survey results will allow the team to respond to demand and plan routes and patrols around where communities feel they are most needed. Wards where people feel less safe than others will receive more patrols by the team as well as having further routes offered up in regards to communicating with the team. Members also agreed at the meeting to send reports to each of the four area committees to allow them to see detailed feedback from the wards in their individual areas.
A major part of the refocusing of the Community Safety Team has been how much more interaction now exists between the team and communities. Officers are visiting schools, attending community groups and community council meetings and having more of a presence on local hubs within communities, whether that’s on the sea front in Portpatrick, outside the town hall in Langholm, in the main street in Dalbeattie or in the Dock Park in Dumfries.
Members also heard about another initiative that’s proving to be popular with communities – Days of Action. Community Safety Days of Action have taken, or will take place in each of the 12 wards within our region. So far, days have taken place in Ward 1 (Stranraer and Rhins) on 2 August and Ward 5 (Abbey) on 16 August as well as Ward 9 (Nith) on 23 August. The other days are planned for the rest of the year. The days have been led by officers in Community Safety tapping into community councils and local groups to find out the burning issues within these communities. The days have seen activities take place such as a litter pick in Stranraer, sign replacement in Southerness and officers being on hand to talk to as you shop in Morrison’s in Dumfries.
Feedback so far has been extremely positive, and our Council hopes the remaining visits are beneficial to the local communities involved.
Speaking after the Communities committee, Chairman Cllr Andy Ferguson said;
“The Community Safety Team provides a vital service for our residents. The refocus of the team has allowed for greater flexibility and a way of really engaging with locals right over the region. The Days of Action have provided a platform for the officers to get to know people, and for people to get to know the officers. Whilst it is still clearly vital that we continue to perpetrate dog owners who do not clean up after their pet, and fine fly tippers and the like, it is just as important the residents see the team as approachable and trustworthy. Feedback from both the survey and the Days of Action tell us this approach is working.”
Cllr John Martin, who is Vice Chairman of the committee who met today noted;
“The results from the survey are obviously pleasing, but what is even more pleasing is that more people are contributing and filling it in. The refocus that was agreed by this committee in January this year seems to be having the desired effect, and huge praise should go to both the members of the team and local communities for fully embracing this new approach to working.”
