Safer streets around the corner for the people of South Kesteven

A new Safer Streets Co-Ordinator has started work to help bring district-wide reassurance to the people of South Kesteven.

The 18-month project came from a successful bid by SKDC for £172,000 of Government money to fund a series of initiatives, with a further £93,000 from the Council. 

Peter Harrison, who started work in the role at the end of January, said: “I know the area well, having worked in relevant areas of the council over the 30 of years I have worked here, and have worked with business, our partner agencies and the public throughout that time.

“I have already started the groundwork to get our projects off the ground and look forward to work alongside local venues, the police and the public, businesses, charities and volunteer groups, as well as the statutory agencies across South Kesteven to make a difference to safety and how safe people actually feel.”

Immediate work includes extending the Pub Watch Scheme, providing training for staff operating the Ask for Angela initiative, where people feeling threatened in a public setting can seek help from bar staff or waiters.

Establishing a Home Safe scheme, to enable someone who is vulnerable or under threat to get home safely, is also a priority.

Other measures include: protection against drink spiking with Drink Safe Covers, anti-spiking bottle stoppers and test kits; organisation of self-defence classes and use some of the money to provide personal alarms and torches to women and girls to support their safe journey home.

Cabinet Member for People and Communities, Cllr Rhea Rayside, said: “These initiatives will help improve the night-time economy in Grantham by making the area feel safer for those out and about.

“Home Safe is an extension of Ask for Angela, to give venue operators another option to help anyone who appears to be vulnerable or under threat and has no way to remove themselves from a situation.

Around 48 CCTV cameras will be upgraded or replaced. An increase in CCTV staffing covering weekend evenings is planned, to help prevent and detect crime within the night-time economy. There will be more night-time and weekend patrols from SKDC’s neighbourhoods and licensing officers as a visible deterrent.

The overall initiative is mainly to cover Grantham but further patrols in hotspot areas across South Kesteven will be conducted where necessary. District-wide work includes gathering intelligence to disrupt county lines, child exploitation and violence against women and girls, all closely linked to the night-time economy.