Ref: PR 2901
Date: 09/02/2011

Portobello Community Safety agreement launch

The Wakefield Together Partnership is launching a Crime and Community Safety Neighbourhood Agreement on Monday, 14 February at the Portobello Community Centre. The initiative is the first of its kind in Wakefield.

The Agreement , which is between the residents of Portobello and Partnership organisations which deliver key services, details their responsibilities for helping to make the neighbourhood a safer place to live. As part of the Agreement, residents, including street and community champions, will regularly meet with the Council, Police, Wakefield District Housing and other agencies to work together to try to solve identified issues.

The Partnership and residents will then hand deliver the Agreement to every household in the neighbourhood, giving people an opportunity to discuss the Agreement and to encourage them to support it by reporting their concerns.

Councillor Olivia Rowley, Wakefield Council’s cabinet member for environment and communities said: "Residents should not have to put up with issues such as fly tipping and anti social behaviour in their neighbourhood. It is important that there is a way that these concerns can be reported and appropriately dealt with quickly and effectively. By signing up to this neighbourhood agreement, residents and agencies are showing their commitment to working together to solve these and other types of problems."

Portobello resident Pauline Birdsworth said: "Residents of Portobello are happy to work in partnership with agencies as continued good communication helps ensure we are fully involved in the services which need to be delivered in our neighbourhood."

Wakefield Central Neighbourhood Policing Team Inspector, Richard Close, said: "This agreement provides us with the foundations of a good partnership working relationship meaning that we can give the people of Portobello a service tailored to their needs. The community needs to be confident that the police, together with all the agencies in the Partnership will take their issues seriously, take appropriate action and keep them up to date and informed."

For residents who are interested in becoming involved in the scheme or for further information please call 01924 306778.

ENDS