Our priorities

Promote safe neighbourhoods

We will build on the already safe conditions that prevail across the county, playing our part to see that they are enjoyed by all and seeking also to reduce the fear of crime or intimidation, by:

  • developing preventative and community services to help keep people safe, and clear and easy ways for people to report safeguarding concerns
  • working closely with the police and others to develop effective responses to crime and disorder in our communities
  • working with young people to identify positive outlets for their time and energy and helping them to fulfil their ambitions and aspirations
  • intervening through the Hertfordshire Youth Justice Service to cut youth crime and prevent young people who have been before the courts from re-offending
  • giving communities more influence over local decisions
  • maintaining a focus on road safety
  • enabling and supporting a vibrant voluntary and community sector and a range of diverse cultural activities which meet the needs of local people
  • encouraging volunteering

We aim to:

  • increase the percentage of people who feel people from different backgrounds get on well together in their area from 81% in 2008/09 to 84% in 2010/11 (NI 1)
  • reduce anti-social behaviour. We will aim to reduce the percentage of people who see anti-social behaviour as a problem from 16.4% in 2008/09 to 14.4% in 2010/11 (NI 17)
  • increase the number of drug users who are in effective treatment from our baseline of 1,686 to 1,718 by 2010/11 (NI 40)
  • engage more young offenders in suitable education, employment or training. We aim to increase this percentage from our 2006/07 baseline of 76.1% to 81.6% by 2010/11 (NI 45)
  • reduce the percentage of repeat domestic violence incidents. Baselines will be set nationally in 2009/10 and targets will then be set accordingly (NI 32)

We will use our influence to:

  • reduce the number of serious acquisitive crimes, such as burglary, in areas where this is currently high. In Hertfordshire overall we aim to reduce this number from a baseline of 16,022 in 2007/08 to 15,381 by 2010/11, a 4% reduction (NI 16). In St Albans District and Hertsmere we aim to reduce the numbers from baselines of 2,048 and 1,792 in 2007/08 to 1,864 and 1,559 by 2010/11, reductions of 9% and 13% respectively (NI 16)

In addition, we will work to:

  • reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured in road traffic accidents from a baseline of 891 in 2001 to 600 in 2010
    (based on NI 47)
  • exceed the Government target to reduce the number of children killed or seriously injured in road traffic accidents from a baseline of 76 in 2001 to 56 in 2010 (based on NI 48). We will shortly be consulting with the Government to set targets beyond 2010 based on the new methodology for both of these indicators