Labour’s candidate for Mayor of Greater Manchester, Bev Craig, has today unveiled new plans to tackle antisocial behaviour, including a new Neighbourhood Guarantee to speed up action on ASB, expanded neighbourhood policing, tougher action on nuisance off-road bikes and greater investment in youth services to help prevent crime before it starts.
The announcement follows a visit to Stoneleigh Park in Oldham, where Bev met with residents, community groups and local partners involved in Operation Vulcan to see how the flagship neighbourhood policing programme has helped cut crime, tackle antisocial behaviour and rebuild community confidence.
During the visit, Bev met members of the Friends of Stoneleigh Park to hear how local volunteers have worked alongside Greater Manchester Police, Oldham Council and other partners to transform the park through community activities and improvements to the local environment. She also met members of the local bowling club, which secured funding to protect its facilities from persistent antisocial behaviour, before visiting a nearby social housing development to hear how investment in the area has helped reduce crime and improve neighbourhood safety.
Building on the success of Operation Vulcan, Bev said she would roll out the same partnership approach across Greater Manchester through a new Neighbourhood Guarantee, bringing together Greater Manchester Police, councils and housing providers to take faster action against antisocial behaviour.
Her plans also include expanding neighbourhood policing so every community has a stronger local police presence, speeding up the seizure and destruction of nuisance off-road bikes, using money seized from criminals to improve neighbourhoods most affected by crime and antisocial behaviour, and investing in more youth clubs, community sport and arts activities to give young people safe places to go and trusted adults to turn to.
Alongside this, Bev will work with partners to tackle fly-tipping, disrupt drug-related crime, make town centres and the night-time economy safer, and deliver a new action plan to reduce violence against women and girls.
Bev Craig said:
“Stoneleigh Park shows what can be achieved when police, councils and local people work together. Operation Vulcan has helped reclaim this community by combining tough action against criminals with long-term investment in local people and places.
“As Mayor, I’ll build on that success by expanding neighbourhood policing, cracking down on antisocial behaviour faster, tackling nuisance off-road bikes and investing in young people so every community across Greater Manchester feels safe, supported and looked after again..
“Safe streets. Strong communities. That’s the Greater Manchester I’m fighting for.”
