HomeDraft partnership action plan for Cave Hill Country Park and Belfast Castle estate
We've worked with community groups and members of the public to create an action plan for Cave Hill Country Park and Belfast Castle estate.It shows what we plan to do to reduce antisocial behaviour (ASB) in the area.
Main issues: Young people causing a nuisance , damage to property and large groups of people gathering in one area.
Criteria for success: A reduction in the actual number of ASB incidents reported to us or to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
Aims: To reduce ASB, to cut the number of recorded incidents of criminal damage, to increase the safety and attractiveness of the park and to reduce the impression that ASB is a major problem in the area.
The plan targets five areas:
- education and awareness
- diversionary activities and programmes
- environment
- application of park bye-laws
- enforcement
Education and awareness
| What is our aim? | How will we achieve it? | What will this involve? | What outcomes can we expect? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education and awareness | Via meetings with key community and voluntary groups and statutory bodies | Taking part in consultation and development meetings Following up, monitoring and reviewing meetings |
Help to identify issues and short and long-term resources Facilitate a full community consultation |
| Via public meetings | Gathering views from members of the public | Assist with the development of draft and final action plans | |
| By developing a leaflet and other material to raise awareness and educate people about ASB | Distributing leaflets and other material which includes details of this action plan | Raise awareness amongst all park users and community, voluntary and statutory bodies about ASB | |
| Working with schools to educate children about ASB and its consequences | Co-ordinating schools visits between the ASB co-ordinator and other school liaison officers from external agencies (such as the PSNI) | Make primary and secondary pupils more aware of the consequences of ASB Help young people become more involved in parks and leisure activities |
Diversionary activities and programmes
| What is our aim? | How will we achieve it? | What will this involve? | What outcomes can we expect? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diversionary activities and programmes | Via church-based initiatives where leaders work with young people to promote positive behaviour | Encouraging young people to take part in activities and respect other people and their local area | Increase the number of respectful and legitimate park users Act as a deterrent for those taking part in ASB |
| Include Youth worker engaging with young people | Supporting the Include Youth worker to engage with young people and divert ASB | Talk to those taking part in ASB and find out what kind of activities and programmes they are interested in |
Environment
| What is our aim? | How will we achieve it? | What will this involve? | What outcomes can we expect? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environment | By using Design Out Crime recommendations compiled by the PSNI Crime Prevention Team | Implementing the recommendations through full consultation with the community | Redesign of the park to reduce ASB |
Application of park bye-laws
| What is our aim? | How will we achieve it? | What will this involve? | What outcomes can we expect? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application of park bye-laws | Review of park bye-laws | Consulting with our Legal Services Department | Making sure park bye-laws are up to date, relevant and easier to read |
| New signage needed throughout the park | Sending new signs to Plain English Campaign Erecting new signs |
Making bye-laws easier to understand for all age groups Allowing staff to highlight bye-laws to park users |
|
| Training for Park Ranger Service Introduce new uniform |
Developing report writing skills Highlighting personal safety and how to approach young people Consulting with park rangers and managers |
Producing a motivated Park Ranger Service Increasing the visibility of park rangers |
|
| Pilot closing time | Installing signs which let users know what time the park closes at | Evaluate how managable the arrangement is and whether it can manage the number of people gathering in the park at night |
Enforcement
| Aim | Actions | Output | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enforcement | Regular joint exercises with the council and the PSNI on agreed dates Co-ordinated bye-law enforcement and operations |
Handing out leaflets, confiscating alcohol and creating a high-visibility presence at off-licences in partnership with the Get Home Safe project, our Regulatory Services team, Park Ranger Service and PSNI | Deterring underage young people from buying alcohol from off-licences Deterring adults from buying alcohol for young people Targeting other types of ASB |
| Incident reporting for staff and police | Setting up new forms and systems to accurately capture the number and nature of antisocial incidents | Sending out warning letters and antisocial behaviour contracts (ABCs) | |
| Further action taken where necessary - for example, by enforcing park bye-laws or via ASB Forums | Prosecuting offenders through our Legal Services Department, PSNI or ASB Forums Use information to send warning letters and decide on ABCs or antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) |
Increasing the level of prosecutions taken Implementing interventions in line with ASBO laws |
|
| Antisocial behaviour contracts (ABCs) | Identifying people who repeatedly take part in ASB Getting their agreement to take part in an ABC |
Explaining to people the impact of their behaviour and outlining what is and isn't acceptable Putting non-statutory prohibitions in place Helping people to change their behaviour and become more socially acceptable |
|
| Dedicated police resource for parks during summer 2008 | Allocating neighbourhood teams to parks on certain dates and times Work with park rangers to co-ordinate visibility in hotspots Reporting all ASB incidents to our ASB co-ordinator |
Increasing the visibility of agencies working to reduce ASB |
