Making the borough safer 2026 - Citizens' Panel

The Panel survey on making the borough safer launched in January 2026 and focussed on gaining a better understanding of what makes local people feel safe and gain an insight into Panel members’ experiences of crime and antisocial behaviour as a witness and/or victim. This is the fifth time this survey has been undertaken and provides comparative data over the past five years to identify any changes in opinions, attitudes and experiences and other trends in the data. 

• Overall feelings of safety –  Over three quarters (77 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 (49 per cent) at night. Forty-eight per cent of Panel members agreed that there were places in their neighbourhood they were worried about visiting including badly lit areas and public transport hubs/stations. 
• Crime levels -  Forty-six per cent of Panel members felt the crime levels in their neighbourhood are average, with 23 per cent feeling they are high/very high and 31 per cent feeling they are low/very low. Sixty-one of Panel members felt that the amount of crime in their neighbourhood over the last 12 months is about the same, whilst 26 per cent felt there was more crime and 12 per cent less crime.
• Community safety priorities –  There are currently six community safety priorities, two of which are new: hate crime and serious acquisitive crime. Of the six priorities, drug related offences (as in previous years) is viewed as the biggest problem alongside the new priority serious acquisitive crime (59 per cent each).
• One thing to make you feel safer where you live – The most mentioned measures were a more visible/increased police presence, improved street lighting and better enforcement/penalties for crime/ASB.
• Impact of measures on crime and antisocial behaviour – Panel members felt that high visibility of police/uniformed Council officers (95 per cent) would have the biggest impact on crime and antisocial behaviour. This was followed by enforcement against antisocial behaviour and environmental improvements for local neighbourhoods (both 91 per cent).

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. This year the findings has been used to refine the Violence Against Women and Girls and Modern Slavery Strategies, as well a general service planning over the year. Where possible details on where respondents do not feel safe will inform operational taskings for CCTV, Street Enforcement Team and Police. The council has installed 19 additional CCTV cameras this year as this survey reported it makes residents feel safer. Results will also be used to ensure we continue to focus on the crime and antisocial behaviour priorities of our residents. The results will regularly 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.