People are being encouraged to have their say on the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership's Community Safety and Harm Reduction Strategy for 2020-23.

The draft strategy outlines the "significant progress" which has been made in recent years to prevent violence and reduce reoffending and victimisation. These 3 key priorities form the cornerstones of the new strategy, along with building capacity within the community to help make the city safer.

Chief Supt Andy Beard, Chair of the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership, said: "Issues of crime, community safety and harm reduction are very complex and require an integrated partnership response. 

"Broad strategic themes have been identified as priorities within this strategy, giving agencies the flexibility they require to respond to changing crime trends and emerging issues, and recognising the fact that crime practices often extend beyond geographic boundaries.

"The strategy also places a stronger focus on the need to engage residents and build community capacity, because we know our communities are instrumental in ensuring that the city is a safe, secure and positive place to live and work. 

“We have made good progress in recent years; reoffending rates in Wolverhampton are below the national average, while victims are feeling increasingly confident about reporting instances of domestic violence, modern slavery and hate crime.

"But there is still much to do, and this consultation is a key opportunity to influence how services will be delivered over the next few years, so please take this opportunity to be part of shaping the city’s future."

To see the draft strategy and have your say, please visit Wolverhampton - A Safe City. The consultation closes on 31 January 2020.

The Safer Wolverhampton Partnership (SWP) is the statutory community safety partnership and local police and crime board in Wolverhampton. It develops and delivers strategic plans for the city and implements Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act, which places a duty on all statutory partners to consider issues of community safety at the centre of their delivery.