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Introduction

Community Safety coordinates a range of activities in partnership with Avon and Somerset Police, Devon and Somerset Fire service, housing associations, and other related partners. This is to reduce crime and disorder and anti-social behaviour to make Somerset a safer place to live, work and visit.

Community Safety Partnership

Under section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, all Local Authorities have a legal duty to do all they can to reduce crime and disorder.

Somerset Council, together with the Police, Fire and Rescue Service, Clinical Commissioning Groups and the Probation Trust have a duty to work in partnership to tackle crime and disorder along with anti-social behaviour, drug and alcohol abuse and reducing reoffending. As well as this, authorities are required to participate in a Community Safety Partnership and to produce a Community Safety Partnership Plan.

We deliver these duties through our membership in the Safer Somerset Community Safety Partnership. For more information on the partnership, please visit our Safer Communities page.

Safer Somerset Community Safety Partnership has a duty to cooperate with the Police and Crime Commissioner. Please visit Avon and Somerset Police for more information.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Anti-social behaviour is a term that is applied to a wide range of activity. Reports of anti-social behaviour will be used as intelligence gathering and will help to tackle anti-social behaviour together within the community.

You can find out more about anti-social behaviour and how to report it on Anti-Social Behaviour – report it here

Police and Crime Commissioner

The Police and Crime Commissioner is a role that was introduced in the Police Responsibility and Social Reform Act 2012.

The elected Police and Crime Commissioner replaces the Police Authority structure. Sue Mountstevens was elected as Avon and Somerset’s first Police and Crime Commissioner in November 2012.

The current Police and Crime Commissioner is Mark Shelford.

For full details of the role, responsibility and priorities of the Police and Crime Commissioner please visit the Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner  website.

Community Trigger

You can use the Community Trigger if you feel that no one is dealing with the anti-social behaviour problems you are experiencing.

If you have already reported a problem to the council, police or housing provider, the Community Trigger is a way for you to ask the agencies to review your case. It will make sure we work together to try to solve the problem.

The trigger brings all the agencies with the responsibility to tackle anti-social behaviour problems together to review the case and try to find a solution.

The Community Trigger can be used by individuals, businesses or community groups. To be able to use the Community Trigger:

  • One person must have made three reports about the problem within six months
  • More than one person or group must have made five reports involving the same location, culprit or problem within six months

In order to start a Community Trigger, visit the Avon and Somerset Police page and complete the Community Trigger Form.

If you live in Somerset write to:

Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinator
(Community Trigger) Bridgwater Police Centre
Express Park
Bristol Road
Bridgwater
Somerset
TA6 4RR

Or phone 101 and say you want to use the Somerset Community Trigger.

Avon and Somerset Police Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) Annual Report 2021 to 2022

Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements are a set of arrangements to manage the risk posed by the most serious sexual, violent and terrorist offenders. They bring together the Police, Probation and Prison services in each of the 42 Areas in England and Wales.

To find out more information, read the Avon and Somerset Police Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) Annual Report 2021 to 2022.

Protecting the vulnerable in our communities

Somerset Council works with a number of partners such as Avon and Somerset Police, local housing associations and schools in a multi-agency approach designed to protect the vulnerable in our communities.

Bridgwater Town Wardens

Based within the community, our Town wardens work alongside partner agencies to improve the quality of life for everyone and promote community cohesion and resilience. The wardens undertake a number of activities, community/business engagement, patrols and enforcement where necessary.

The wardens can help the community in the following ways:

  • Provide a reassuring, uniformed patrolling presence.
  • Provide an efficient eyes and ears service aimed at reducing fear of crime and improving the quality of life.
  • Deal with environmental crime issues, notably dog fouling and littering, and help to preserve the environment.
  • Reduce incidents of criminal damage and antisocial behaviour by taking enforcement action where necessary, including issuing Fixed Penalty Notices, Community Protection warnings or referring to the police.
  • Support the community by encouraging the establishment of activities for young people.
  • Support vulnerable members of the community by preventing isolation.
  • Work in partnership with other agencies to help benefit the community.
  • Act as professional witnesses.
  • Being a welcoming face and point of contact for visitors to the town.
  • Being a point of contact for local businesses to capture trends in the town – to enable feedback to Local Authorities to seek if there are additional initiatives needed to support the town.
  • To signpost services, amenities, leisure and retail places for residents and visitors.

The wardens are not:

  • A replacement for the police
  • An emergency service or response team
  • A 24/7 service. There will be times when no wardens are on duty
  • A care service. The neighbourhood wardens are able to signpost vulnerable people to relevant agencies
  • Parking wardens. The neighbourhood wardens cannot issue parking tickets

Crime and anti-social behaviour should be reported to the police on 101. In an emergency, always call 999.

As a service, we believe that prevention is better than cure and as a result the team spend time working to prevent issues by dealing with the long-term causes in partnership with other agencies rather than just the symptoms.

Last reviewed: February 14, 2024 by Jenny

Next review due: August 14, 2024

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