Reassurance Plus is a new way of working across the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods of Blackpool.
Experience has shown that people do not base their view of crime on statistics, but on what they experience and see happening around them. Very often a sense of insecurity is triggered not by serious crime but by signs of disorder such as vandalism and graffiti.
Blackpool's Reassurance Plus teams are multi-agency task forces that are accessible and known to the local community. They work with local residents to tackle problems quickly and directly. Listening to those who live with the problems is at the heart of the process, because they are best placed to identify sustainable solutions.
As well as gathering information on a daily basis, the teams hold regular meetings with the public and with local groups and agencies. These meetings can be ‘themed’ – focusing on specific issues and areas – or general public events to identify priorities, invite comments and promote participation.
The Reassurance Plus teams consist of officers from the Police, Council and Fire Service. Although the people involved are from different organisations, in a Reassurance Team everyone answers to one person - the Neighbourhood Delivery Manager. This structure allows a swift, focused response to issues as they arise without the necessity for lengthy communications between agencies.
The Council personnel in the teams include Public Protection, NEAT, Community Engagement, Private Housing Enforcement, and Environmental Protection officers. The Teams also work closely with other agencies like the local Primary Care Trust, Housing Associations, Youth Service, Probation Service - and many others. Close links are maintained with local Councillors and Community Groups.
Three priority areas in Blackpool have been selected as being most in need of direct action to tackle local issues, and each of these areas has its own Reassurance Plus Team. For information on each of these teams click on the links below:
Central Area - divided into two areas, Claremont and Talbot & Brunswick
South - divided into three areas, Revoe, St Heliers and South Beach
Grange Park
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