Safer Communities for Wales

Community safety is a partnership approach to reduce crime and disorder in local communities. Much of the recent work of ‘safer communities’ in Wales has been driven by the Welsh Government’s Working Together for Safer Communities Review 2017. The review created a vision that safer communities will exist in Wales where ‘every community is strong, safe and confident in a manner that provides equality of opportunity, social justice, resilience and sustainability for all’. Following the recommendations of the review, the Wales Safer Communities Network was established in January 2021.

Wales Safer Communities Network

The WLGA currently hosts the Wales Safer Communities Network.

The Network’s mission is to become the strategic voice for community safety in Wales, through working collaboratively with members to champion and support community safety partnership working and influence the shaping and development of national policy and local practice.

The Network’s core members are Local Government and Policing in Wales, with other key partners involved in community safety delivery in Wales, including Welsh Government, Fire and Rescue, Health, Probation, Third Sector and voluntary organisations.

Visit www.safercommunities.wales to find links to help and support, as well as information regarding legislation, duties, training and awareness raising, up to date research, events, and more.

Community Safety Partnerships

Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs), established by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, are made up of representatives from councils, the police, and the fire, health and probation services (known as responsible authorities). Half of the required partners are devolved in Wales, reflected in amendments to the Act, giving Welsh Ministers powers to set certain requirements either alone or jointly with the Secretary of State for Wales.

Local Government and Police hold joint leadership for community safety, and designated staff within councils have oversight administration for the CSPs. Each responsible authority contributes their own particular local knowledge, professional expertise, and resources to ensure that the issues of most concern to local people are prioritised and addressed.

The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 enshrined the concept of statutory partnership working to reduce crime and disorder in the local community. Subsequent Home Office regulations and Acts, including the Police and Justice Act 2006, have broadened the requirements to deliver outcomes which relate to the prevention and reduction of crime and reoffending, fear of crime, anti-social behaviour, domestic abuse, and harm caused by substance misuse.

Community safety intersects with multiple policy areas and relies on effective multi-agency working at local, regional, and national levels. CSPs have oversight and responsibility for several areas under a community safety umbrella. Some support specific duties, including tackling:

• Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) and Disorder
• Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV)
• Terrorism and Extremism
• Substance Misuse
• Crime and Crime Prevention activity more broadly
• Serious Violence and Organised Crime
• Public Safety
• Modern Slavery and Exploitation