An area of Liverpool being blighted by anti-social behaviour and horrendous rubbish dumping is at the centre of a multi-agency city crackdown.
Earlier this week the ECHO published horrific images from across parts of Wavertree in south Liverpool, where students have packed up and left for the summer - leaving a trail of destruction in some areas.
Local residents have told us they are at breaking point from the rubbish dumping and other forms of anti-social behaviour, calling for more action against the students and the landlords who own the Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMO) that they live in.
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In response, Liverpool City Council and Merseyside's Police and Crime Commissioner will take part in a day of action today as part of wider aims to tackle the problems in the area and improve community feelings.
Hundreds of crime prevention kits will be handed out in the three city wards of Smithdown, Arundel and Edge Hill today. These are being delivered using Safer Streets funding secured by the council and the crime commissioner to increase safety and community spirit in the wards.
The £370,000 imitative has also seen 56 alley gates repaired or upgraded, with communal bins installed for 680 homes to try and prevent burglars gaining access to the rear of properties, while also reducing street bin fires and fly-tipping in the area.
The project team have visited more than 350 student homes in the area offering crime prevention advice, held a webinar for landlords to help them increase the security of their properties and a public drop-in session with the local policing team to listen to residents’ concerns.
The PCC office said reports of ASB have reduced by 16% in the first six months of this year compared to 2022.
Work has also been ongoing with the universities to try and improve relationships between students and families in the area after local residents said they felt students living alongside them were not respecting them or the area.
In the next three months, the project will also see more than 50 streetlights installed or upgraded and a new campaign will be launched when new students arrive in September to help them to stay safe, prevent crime and keep the area tidy.
Merseyside’s Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “I’m committed to improving the safety of our communities and that means focusing our efforts in areas where we know local people are facing challenging issues.
“Sadly, this part of south Liverpool was one those areas where we had seen incidents spike, but through this Safer Streets project we’re focused on putting practical, effective solutions in place to reduce burglaries and ASB and make it a safer, cleaner, healthier place to live.
“It’s great to see the work that’s been delivered so far and the difference this is already making, and I look forward to seeing how this project will continue to change things for the better for people living in this area.”
Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Communities Cllr Laura Robertson-Collins said: “This is a really good example of lots of partners coming together to tackle a range of issues, and it is very much to be welcomed.
“Despite this success, I do recognise that there are still significant issues that we need to address, around low level anti-social behaviour and waste management, both here and in other areas of the city.
“The Council will be rolling out a new neighbourhood model of services over the next year, and I want to see us embed this type of joined-up approach in getting residents and landlords to act responsibly and be good neighbours.”
Merseyside Police’s Chief Inspector Tony Fairhurst said: “Tackling ASB is an everyday commitment for us and our partners in Merseyside. The Safer Streets initiative in South Liverpool is supporting the ongoing preventative work to tackle ASB and provide safer spaces for everyone. This includes increased patrols and targeted days of action in hotspot areas.
“Although reports of ASB in Liverpool are 16% lower for the first six months of the year in comparison to 2022, we understand some people don’t report when they see or experience ASB. We would encourage the local community to report what is happening in their area, so we can continue to take action. Visit our website for more information, call 101 or report via our social media desk @MerPolCC on Twitter or Facebook.”
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