Citizens' Panel - Making the borough safer 2025

Closed 11 Mar 2025

Opened 28 Jan 2025

Contact

panel@rbkc.gov.uk

Feedback updated 29 Jul 2025

We asked

The Panel survey on making the borough safer focussed on gaining a better understanding of what would make Panel members feel safer in the borough and gain an insight into Panel members’ experiences of crime and antisocial behaviour as a witness and/or victim. This survey is an annual survey which began in 2022 so it is possible to benchmark reults against the previous results to identify changes in opinions, attitudes, and experiences. 

You said

Overall feelings of safety –  Almost three quarters (74 per cent) of Panel members feel safe to some extent when out and about in their neighbourhood during the day, however, this drops to just under half (45 per cent) at night. Forty-seven per cent of Panel members agreed that there were places in their neighbourhood they were worried about visiting including badly lit areas and Council estates. Almost two thirds (61 per cent) said that they had changed their behaviour in the last 12 months to feel safe which is in line with the response for 2024 (62 per cent). The most often taken actions were sticking to main roads/avoiding badly lit areas (49 per cent) and having more awareness of others and surroundings (46 per cent). 
 
Community safety priorities –  Of the four community safety priorities, drug related offences continue to be viewed as the biggest problem (62 per cent) followed by antisocial behaviour (57 per cent). Youth violence and exploitation (44 per cent) and violence against women and girls (34 per cent) were viewed as less of a problem. The other crime issues Panel members are most concerned about are theft (77 per cent which has seen a six per cent increase on the 2024 results), motor vehicle crime (65 per cent) and burglary (58 per cent), both have remained the same since the 2024 results.
 
One thing to make you feel safer where you live – For the second year, Panel members were asked what one thing would make them feel safer in their neighbourhood. The most mentioned measure was a more visible/increased police presence, there was also support for CCTV and improved street lighting.
 
Experiences of crime and antisocial behaviour –  Just under half of Panel members (48 per cent) had not been a witness to or a victim of crime or antisocial behaviour in the past 12 months. A little under a third (32 per cent) stated they had been a witness and 12 per cent a victim, whilst seven per cent had been both a witness to and a victim.  Of those Panel members who had been a witness to and/or a victim of crime or antisocial behaviour, 37 per cent had reported the incident, the majority to the police, followed by the council. The main reason given for not reporting was they didn’t think it would be acted on (57 per cent).
 
 

We did

The full results of the survey were taken to the Safer K and C Board which has senior representation from council services, police, criminal justice agencies and health services, thus ensuring senior decision makers from across key stakeholders are aware of the results. The findings will be used to refine community safety strategies and planning over the coming year. Where possible details on where respondents do not feel safe will inform operational taskings for CCTV, Street Enforcement Team and Police. These will be used alongside the business-as-usual practice of crime and disorder data. Results will also be used to ensure we continue to focus on the crime and antisocial behaviour priorities of our residents, for example, the results were used alongside other evidence and undertanding of local experiences as part of a deep dive review of antisocial behaviour.  The results will regualrly be used throughout the year as community safety projects are developed to help inform them and develop better community responses. 

we regularly go to this report throughout the year as we develop community safety projects to help inform them and develop better community responses.

 

Results updated 10 Jul 2025

Files:

Overview

You have consistently told us that community safety is one of your top priorities and we have sought your views on making the borough safer since 2021. We are doing so again to continue to build up evidence over time about your experiences of crime and antisocial behaviour. This is vital in measuring progress against the current Community Safety Plan and action plans and for the strategic planning of the Community Safety Team. Your feedback is also vital in informing the team's work regarding the Serious Violence Duty and how the team works with partners to reduce serious violence in the borough. 

Why your views matter

This is an important opportunity to get beyond crime statistics to better understand what makes you feel unsafe in the borough and to gain insight into your experiences of crime and antisocial behaviour. This will enable us to more effectively target our resources and actions to make the borough safer for all.

To thank you, and in recognition of your time, all those that complete a survey will be entered into a prize with a chance to win one of two £50 Amazon vouchers. We will also make a donation to charity for each completed survey. 

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  • Citizens' Panel
  • Community Safety