Draft partnership action plan for Dunville Park, Clonard area and Falls Leisure Centre
We've worked with community groups and members of the public to create an action plan for Dunville Park, Clonard area and Falls Leisure Centre.It shows what we plan to do to reduce antisocial behaviour (ASB) in the area.
Main issues: Underage drinking, drug and solvent misuse, car crime, young people causing a nuisance, damage to property, graffiti and the misuse of vehicles.
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 | |
| By distributing park ranger customer care cards to police officers and key resident groups | Distributing park ranger information cards | Create a more informed community and better awareness of the Park Ranger Service Lead to more public interaction with the Park Ranger Service Increase the visibility of the Park Ranger Service |
|
| By getting schools involved in tackling ASB | 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 | By involving schools in park activities and other education and outreach work | Encouraging schools to get involved and take ownership of the park | Increase the number of respectful and legitimate park users |
Via activities and seasonal events organised by community groups and key stakeholders For example, summer community events in Dunville Park and a 12 week football programme with identified individuals in Falls Leisure Centre |
Organising activities and programmes to increase the number of people using the park | Act as a deterrent to those taking part in ASB Match activities with the times ASB takes place |
|
| Via partnership programmes with other community and voluntary groups, including youth providers | Diverting people from taking part in ASB Encouraging young people to participate in activities and respect both other people and their local area |
Engage with those taking part in ASB | |
| By using Falls Leisure Centre for diversionary activities in tandem with awareness-raising sessions | Identifying those involved in ASB and encouraging them to take part in organised activities | Educate young people about the value of making choices and about the different routes available to them | |
| By identifying ways to discourage those using Dunville Park for alcohol or drug use | Providing support when needed |
A reduction in alcohol and substance abuse taking place inside the park |
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 |
| Graffiti removal | Removing graffiti by 11am on the morning it appears | Ensuring facilities stay clean and attractive | |
| Cutting back vegetation | Managing vegetation to make sure it doesn't become overgrown | Increased visibility within the park Lack of 'hiding places' |
|
| Marking out a football pitch at the top end of Dunville Park and installing goalposts Involving local GAA clubs |
Providing an area where local teams can train | Increase the amount of people using the park Foster a sense of ownership amongst young people Provide facilities for local teams |
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 |
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 |
|
| Monthly meetings between the council and PSNI | Discussing current issues and planning initiatives | Encouraging effective joint action on issues and identifying them as they arise | |
| 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 | |
| Giving park keys to PSNI | Allowing police to patrol the park | Giving officers instant access to the park when needed Maintaining a police presence in the park |
|
| By progressing cases of reported incidents by the public | Issuing warning letters to perpetrators and taking further action when needed | Send out a strong message regarding ASB |





