THE Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Gwent has developed and established a new group to inform the community on safety in Gwent.

Gwent PCC Ian Johnston has established the Safer Gwent group in order to work with key community safety partners and provide a strategic direction and structured approach across the five local authority areas of Gwent. The group will aim to address regional community safety issues that impact on local communities.

Safer Gwent is made up of representatives from the local authorities, the local health board, registered social landlords, voluntary sector, youth offending services and the probation and rehabilitation services. The group aims to develop a collective community engagement approach to enhance partnership working with a view to achieving better outcomes in tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB), preventing reoffending and supporting victims.

Safer Gwent will coordinate joint initiatives and activities throughout the region but will not replace the statutory Community Safety Partnerships that exist and operate through each of the five local authority’s Local Service boards.

They new group met for the first time recently and identified key areas which included tackling anti-social behaviour and supporting victims. They are focusing on the Provision of Positive Futures throughout Gwent which is a project that uses sport to work with disengaged young people by providing them with diversionary activities and additional support such as mentoring.

Mr Johnston said: “This is a great example of partnership working to improve services at a time when budgets are shrinking and demand for our service is increasing. It’s great to see so many groups and organisations working together to make the best use of our resources to make our communities safer.

"It’s all about sharing best practice and working effectively together to achieve a common goal. We want less victims of crime in our communities and initiatives such as this one complement some of the priorities outlined in my Police and Crime plan which is to ensure that the people of Gwent are less affected by anti-social behaviour and are protected from serious harm.”