Serious violence affects us all one way or another: as a result of being a victim, knowing a victim of serious violence or being concerned about increased reports of violent incidents through the media.

Intervening early can support young people and encourage them to make positive choices before they enter the criminal justice system. This strategy and its action plan highlight the importance of early intervention to tackle the root causes of serious violence and provide young people with the skills and resilience they need to lead productive lives free from violence. It also provides a co-ordinated and multi-agency response to serious violence to ensure the safety of our community.

This strategy recognises that some of our biggest challenges as a borough - such as the threat of an increase in serious violence - are beyond the scope of what the Council can do on its own. These challenges require the knowledge, skills and ideas of local people, voluntary community groups and other public and private sector bodies. We are committed to doing everything we can to reverse the trend of increasing serious violence and to provide the next generation with a safer future. We can only achieve this by working with local partners in a collaborative way, informed by evidence and lived experience.

The Bexley Community Safety Partnership (BCSP) have been carrying out successful work related to serious violence over the last few years. But we are not complacent and are committed to prioritising this area of work to ensure that Bexley continues to be one of the safest boroughs in London.

Image

Matthew Norwell, Director for Place at London Borough of Bexley and Co-Chair of the Bexley Community Safety Partnership