Streets to be targeted by "Day of Action"

The initiative – led by the Hartlepool Community Safety Team under the umbrella of the Safer Hartlepool Partnership- will take place on Monday August 20th.

It will target an area bounded by York Road, Elliott Street, Murray Street and Young Street which includes Dent Street, Derwent Street and Lowthian Road.

The aim is to address problems with crime and anti-social behaviour, drug dealing/taking and associated drug litter, fly-tipping, rubbish in the rear yards of properties, the poor appearance of some residential properties and rear alleys and empty properties.

The area is affected by higher than average levels of crime but intelligence also suggests that a lot more incidents may be going unreported.

Councillor Christopher Akers-Belcher, Chair of the Safer Hartlepool Partnership and Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “When the Hartlepool Community Safety Team was launched earlier this year it brought together staff from the Council, Cleveland Police and Cleveland Fire Brigade at Hartlepool Police Station to try to ensure that issues identified as causing a problem received a co-ordinated multi-agency response.

“This “Day of Action” is a perfect example of such a co-ordinated response and I would urge residents to support us in our efforts to tackle the issues affecting this area.”

Chief Inspector Nigel Burnell from the Hartlepool Community Safety Team said: “The team looks to address issues that are affecting our local communities, including criminal offences such as drugs activity, which can have a massive effect on people living close by. Anyone who has concerns or wants to raise issues regarding problems affecting their neighbourhood can contact Hartlepool Community Safety Team and action will be taken wherever appropriate.”

Steve Johnson, Area Manager, Prevention and Protection with Cleveland Fire Brigade, said: “Cleveland Fire Brigade are delighted to be part of the Hartlepool Community Safety Team and are highly supportive of this day of action.  It is important to tackle anti-social behaviour and refuse and deliberate fires are an issue that needs to be addressed.  Since January we have had 11 incidents of this nature in this area.  It is fantastic to see all the agencies working together to improve our communities.”

A community safety trailer will be located outside the Mill House Leisure Centre from 2-5pm and residents will be able to drop-in and talk to members of the Hartlepool Community Safety Team in confidence.

Representatives of a range of agencies will also be staging a walkabout to talk to residents to find out more about what most concerns them and to encourage them to report issues. It is also hoped to encourage the reformation of a residents’ association for the area.

There will be a free one-off collection of residents’’ household and bulky waste. All they have to do is place their waste in the back alley behind their properties between 7.30am and 2.30pm on the day. Only household and garden waste that has been bagged, furniture (maximum of three items per household), electrical items and children’s toys/play equipment will be taken. Household and garden waste that has not been bagged, carpets/underlay, clinical/medical waste, rubble/concrete/asbestos, kitchen cupboards and worktops, baths/sinks/toilets and tyres will NOT be collected.

Council staff will also carry out additional cleansing, weeding and gutter clearing in streets and alleyways across the target area.