Nottingham City Council has established a new partnership board to address crime, anti-social behaviour and environmental problems in the city centre.
The Respect for Nottingham Board will bring together representatives from the council, Nottinghamshire Police, community safety and enforcement services, and voluntary and community organisations.
Led by council leader Councillor Neghat Khan, the board will meet monthly and carry out walkabouts in different parts of the city centre. Locations will be chosen using data and local intelligence.
The board will focus on issues including anti-social behaviour, begging, rough sleeping, litter, graffiti and fly-tipping. Members will identify problems, speak to businesses and coordinate action between the organisations involved.
Its first walkabout took place in Hockley, where members spoke to local businesses and agreed a series of actions. The council said progress would be monitored and reported publicly.
Councillor Khan said: “Our first walkabout in Hockley allowed us to hear directly from local businesses, see the issues affecting the area and agree on what needs to happen next.
“We will take a firm approach to tackling anti-social behaviour and environmental crime, while also ensuring that people who need support can access it.”
The council said it had invested an additional £25 million in frontline services during the past year, including street cleaning, free bulky waste collections, community support and neighbourhood improvements.
The board’s work will sit alongside existing measures including the city centre Public Spaces Protection Order, multi-agency days of action and Operation Reclaim.
The council said regular updates would set out the action taken and explain how residents and businesses could report concerns.
