Free crime safety events to be relaunched in Basildon
Posted 8th August 2023
Personal alarms, property marking kits and purse bells are among the crime-prevention materials being given out to concerned residents in Basildon.
The Together for Safer Communities programme ran for two years before the pandemic brought the community safety work to a halt.
Now, thanks to matched funding from the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex (PFCC) and Basildon Council, the public meetings are set to be relaunched later this year.
The PFCC has contributed £2,000 to the Safer Basildon Partnership in the form of a crime and disorder reduction grant from the 2022-2023 Community Safety Development Fund to purchase crime prevention materials to be distributed to residents.
Councillors from each ward in the borough will host their own meetings where residents can pick up the items, along with safety advice from partners including Essex Police, Basildon Council and Neighbourhood Watch.
The events, due to start in September, will also give residents an opportunity to share concerns about any incidents or patterns of negative behaviour in their communities.
Julie Long, community safety manager, said: “The Together for Safer Communities meetings are an opportunity to raise awareness of community safety issues. We can give out advice and safety materials, as well as hear from residents about any concerns they may have.
“There will be a programme of dates planned by councillors for meetings to take place in their wards. They were popular pre-pandemic, so we expect residents will be pleased the opportunity is returning for them.
“Without this funding, the meetings would be purely about talking, which is great, but it’s even better to be able to provide residents with these crime prevention tools to be able to keep themselves and their property safe.”
PFCC Roger Hirst said: “These meetings and the crime prevention material being distributed among residents will really help to give peace of mind to members of the community. They will be able to help themselves to stay safe and have a safe space to discuss any concerns they may have.”
