New Community Safety Plan to build on falling crime rates

A new three-year community safety plan aimed at building on falling crime rates in Blackpool is set to be approved by the council.

Latest figures show anti-social behaviour dropped by more than five percent last year, with overall crime also slightly down.

The plan for 2026 to 2029 will focus on tackling violent crime, anti-social behaviour, organised crime and exploitation.

Council leaders say the strategy will continue a partnership approach between police, health services and other local organisations.

Cllr Paula Burdess, cabinet member for community safety, street scene and neighbourhoods, said: “We all want the same things for Blackpool - for everyone who lives, works or visits here to feel safe, and for crime or anti-social behaviour to be the exception, not the norm. Our crime rates are slightly skewed because the statistics don’t account for the volumes of visitors we have every year compared to other areas of the country. By recognising that crime is ‘preventable, not inevitable’ and working closely with our partners we can prevent, detect and disrupt crime and disorder. We’re doing a good job and the police tell us crime is falling, but we need to build on that to ensure people feel safer too. We understand that it’s not just crime and disorder that affect communities and peoples’ quality of life, but fear of crime too. We want our communities to have confidence in each other and in the agencies trusted with public safety.”