Hall Green Constituency launched the latest stage in its 'Beating The Burglars' campaign in July 2007.
The constituency-wide campaign began last year when a Burglary Working Group was set up by Hall Green LDG (Local Delivery Group for constituency community safety) to work together with Family Housing, Victim Support, Police and Crime Reduction Officers.
Free support is offered to local residents. It includes the latest technology, large viewfinders, property marking, locks, window alarms, memo cams, personal alarms and home security. The objective is make homes safer and also make people feel safer. The burglary reduction scheme, managed by Family Housing Association, has had an immediate impact, quickly reversing the previous short term upward trend. The subsequent results are impressive:
Burglary fell by 33.9% in the constituency overall (against the target)
Biggest impact was in Springfield ward: an impressive 45% reduction in last 12 months (70% change in last 6 months)
All 4 wards in Hall Green constituency have reduced burglary rates since 2003/04
Additional funding will continue this free burglary support to local people
The impetus for burglary reduction began with gating schemes and target hardening in Springfield ward (2005-06).
This was supplemented by the local community safety partnership (otherwise known as the Local Delivery Group) to also extend crime reduction help for people in Moseley & Kings Heath, Sparkbrook, Hall Green wards (2006-07). Birmingham Community Safety Partnership (BCSP) also awarded £10,000 towards burglary priorities last year.
Neighbourhoods will now be even safer. In 2007, Neighbourhood Renewal Funding for Burglary Reduction was awarded by Moseley & Kings Heath (£12,172), Springfield (£16,667) and Hall Green (£15,000) wards.
An additional £20,000 funding was also recently allocated by Birmingham Community Safety Partnership (BCSP) to support the local achievements being made in burglary reduction.
Hall Green LDG (Local Delivery Group) Chair, Chief Superintendent Jan Turner said, "We are very pleased that burglary rates have reduced and hope that initiatives such as this help make the public feel safer too. But we are not complacent. Our partnership of Birmingham Council, West Midlands Police, Victim Support and Family Housing has achieved progress and its rewarding to hear how delighted local residents have been to receive our support."
Constituency Committee Chairman (and Springfield Councillor) Jerry Evans said, "I am delighted that burglary is reducing in my ward and also in Hall Green constituency as a whole. Springfield ward allocated over £16,000 Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) towards gating and burglary reduction last year and an additional £16,667 in 2007. We are doing everything we can to help safeguard our community.
Hall Green Constituency Director, Bret Willers said, "I know our local residents have been very pleased by the range of crime prevention help they can get, and our constituency will continue our efforts to make our neighbourhoods feel safer." This is a really nice example of how different organisations working together can solve real problems like this."
To find out more about the scheme, call Hall Green Constituency Office on 0121 675 9000.