This report provides an overview of the work of Reading’s CSP to deliver outcomes to address priorities identified in Reading’s Community Safety and Serious Violence Strategy 2023-2026, by updating on activity associated with the work of the partnership.

The Committee received a report providing an overview of the work of Reading’s Community Safety Partnership (CSP) to address the priorities identified in Reading’s Community Safety and Serious Violence Strategy 2023-2026. The report explained that this was the first update that had been produced by the CSP, and it covered the considerable work that had been undertaken over the last two years to tackle the CSP’s Strategic Priorities. There would be annual reports to the Committee going forward. The Reading Community Safety Partnership Performance Framework was attached to the report at Appendix 1. The report set out several key highlights, including:

§  Expanded provision and service offers to the public

§  Increased involvement of the public, including children, in local meetings and problem solving

§  High impact community events linked to crime reduction.

The report explained that over the last five years there had been a 10.82% increase in crime. However, crime had started to fall steadily in 2022 and there had been a reduction in overall crime – down 1.58% in 2023, and 6.05% in 2024. Reading had performed better than its statistical neighbours, ranking the 4th lowest rate of offences out of 14 comparable Community Safety Partnerships.

The report also explained that it was important to understand how residents felt about crime and safety. The CSP had relied on regular Community Safety Surveys, which allowed the CSP to better understand public perceptions of crime and safety, which could then help local partnership organisations to deliver better services to residents. The 2024 survey had been completed by 957 residents (up from 606 in 2023) and when asked ‘Do you think Reading is a safe place?” 50.1% of respondents felt safe in Reading in 2024, compared to 44.8% in 2023, a 5.2% improvement over 12 months. However, when asked if crime has increased in their neighbourhood 50.0% of residents reported an increase in 2024, compared to 46.53% of residents in 2023. This was a 3.47% increase, which highlighted that feelings of safety do not necessarily align with perceptions or experience of crime. Similarly, resident’s perceptions of anti-social behaviour in the last 12 months had increased by 4.27% from 53.65% in 2023 to 57.9% in 2024.

The report set out the activities that had been undertaken against the CSP’s priorities between April 2023 and March 2025:

·      Reducing crime in the top crime-generating neighbourhoods

·      Improving the way the Community Safety Partnership worked with communities to tackle anti-social behaviour and hate crime.

·      Reducing community-based drug related activity

·      Reducing knife violence, including the carrying of blades and their use in crime.

·      Tackling organised crime gangs transporting illegal drugs across Reading’s borders, also known as ‘county lines’ offending

·      Improving safety for women in public places and reducing sexually focused crimes and anti-social behaviour

·      Domestic Abuse and Safe Accommodation

The report also detailed those activities for 2025/26 which were scheduled or already underway and were centred on work with children and young people, training on Hate Crime, support for victim-survivors of domestic abuse and vulnerable people, continuing work with residents and work to undertake assessments leading to the new strategies for 2026-2029.

Resolved -

(1)      That the update on the activities and impact of the Reading Community Safety Partnership (April 2023 to March 2025) be noted;

(2)      That the performance of the Reading Community Safety Partnership in reducing crime (April 2023 and March 2025) be noted.