Community Safety Partnership

Progress/achievements to date

1. The completion of Stage 1 audit, to collate information on community safety issues locally. The main findings from the audit were:

  • Derry City Council is a relatively safe place to live in comparison to other areas in Northern Ireland
  • The overall rate for crimes recorded by Foyle DCU is lower than the Northern Ireland average. However, the rates for violence against the person and sexual offences were above the average.
  • Vandalism is a significant annual cost to statutory agencies within the council area

2. A community consultation was carried out to ascertain the views of local residents in relation to community safety issues. Main findings from the survey were:

  • Anti-social behaviour is the most common crime in our area, with drug, substance and alcohol abuse the second most common
  • 45% of respondents were fairly or very worried about city centre violence

3. The publication of a Community Safety Strategy for the Derry City Council area. The Partnership has just produced their first Community Safety Strategy for the council area. The Strategy is to be launched on 22nd June 2005 at the Guildhall in the city. The Strategy has been produced following an audit of community safety issues with partners agencies and consultation with the community.

The strategy will focus the work of the partnership over the next three years. By setting ourselves demanding and challenging targets we will strive towards our vision of making our council area a healthy, inclusive, prosperous and safe environment for all those who reside, work and visit within the city.

4. The Partnership has provided funding and support to the following local projects:

  • City Centre Rangers Project
  • Night Rider Bus Project
  • Community Safety Warden, Outer North area
  • Ten Stories High, an intergenerational digital story telling project, completed in March 2005.
  • Good Neighbour Project, due to commence in September 2005.

5. Other Regional projects, supported by the partnership, include

  • Lock Out Crime Scheme
  • Neighbourhood Watch
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