The Safer Kingston Partnership
What is Community Safety
Community safety is about helping communities to be and feel safe. It is important that people feel safe where they live, work, study or spend their leisure time. It determines how people see their neighbourhood and helps to reduce the fear of crime. Local prosperity is also driven by a feeling of safety and reinforces the borough’s reputation as a place to invest, supporting economic regeneration as businesses are supported to thrive in safe and secure places.
We are proud that the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames continues to be a safe and inclusive borough.
Community safety is not just about focusing on the crime types that are committed. We also have to focus on understanding and addressing what causes people to be vulnerable to becoming victims or perpetrators of crime, exploitation and antisocial behaviour.
Who we are
Community Safety Partnerships were first mandated under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to bring partners together to improve community safety in local areas, recognising that no single organisation could achieve this alone. The Safer Kingston Partnership (SKP) consists of representatives from:
- Metropolitan Police
- Local Authority
- Probation Service
- London Fire Brigade
- NHS SW London Integrated Care Board
Collectively we work with a wide range of partner agencies, including the London Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) as well as local partners from the business, voluntary and community sector with an interest in community safety to keep Kingston as one of the safest London boroughs. We have strong buy-in from partners across all sectors and ensure that we make the most of each and every opportunity that comes our way.
The Safer Kingston Partnership also works closely with Kingston and Richmond Safeguarding Children Partnership and Kingston Safeguarding Adults Board to protect and safeguard vulnerable people.
SKP has statutory responsibilities to identify local priorities via a strategic assessment, work collaboratively to prevent and reduce serious violence, reduce crime and disorder (including anti-social behaviour) and reoffending in the local area. There are also statutory requirements regarding sharing information and engaging and consulting with the community about their priorities. Under section 17 of the 1998 Act, there remains a duty on local authorities to consider the crime and disorder implications of all their day-to-day activities.
Being safe and feeling safe is recognised as an important element of wellbeing and can provide the foundation for wider improvements in people’s quality of life. We are committed to community collaboration to strengthen trust, confidence and accountability. We will encourage and develop the involvement of the public by building relationships with local community groups, improving links with business participation groups and Neighbourhood Watch and supporting the Safer Neighbourhood Board.