'We're gonna clean up around here'

From the archive, first published Saturday 17th Mar 2007.

A wide-ranging crackdown on crime and grime is set to give a boost to residents in a number of areas in and around Bradford.

A week of action, starting on Monday, will see police, Council teams and other agencies working in partnership to tackle a range of issues from crime and antisocial behaviour to graffiti and litter.

The campaign, backed by the city's Safer Communities Partnership, will target the Buttershaw, Holmewood, Allerton and Lower Grange areas of Bradford, plus Windhill in Shipley and the Bracken Bank and Braithwaite areas of Keighley.

The initiative is in support of ongoing efforts to tackle anti-social behaviour, which have been bolstered by the award of Respect Action Area status to the Bradford District. Planned activities include:

Increased high-visibility patrols by local neighbourhood policing teams focusing on hot-spots' for criminal damage and anti-social behaviour;

Operations to target drug dealers;

Visits by Council environmental clean-up teams to target litter and graffiti;

Display stands at community centres and other prominent locations, along with leaflet drops to keep residents informed about what work is going on and how they can support the initiative;

Crime prevention projects, including the free fitting of replacement screws to cut vehicle number plate thefts, plus advice on how to keep satellite navigation systems safe;

Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) operations to deny criminals use of the roads;

Operations to target off-road bike nuisance;

Checks on licensed premises and work to target under age drinking;

Truancy patrols;

A "rubbish amnesty" to help rid areas of household waste;

Work by Bradford Community Housing Trust to encourage tidy gardens among its tenants;

Tenancy enforcement work;

Fire safety events and fire checks on properties by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service;

Crime prevention advice stands in local community centres;

Work with the DVLA to seize unlicensed vehicles;

Work with Youth Services.

The week begins with a car crash and rescue reconstruction at 7.30pm on Monday at Café West, Allerton. The fire service from Fairweather Green, police and paramedics will be on hand to demonstrate their skills.

Firefighters from Odsal will be meeting shoppers at Asda, in Rooley Lane, Bradford, on Wednesday afternoon, and at Tesco, in Halifax Road, on Thursday afternoon.

Community fire safety officers will be knocking on doors in the area to arrange free home safety checks.

Superintendent Larry Sherratt, Bradford District Community Safety Co-ordinator, said: "We are committed to working in partnership to make a real difference on the ground in these communities.

"By focusing the combined efforts of the police, Council and other agencies on these areas, we hope to make a significant impact that will provide a firm foundation for further improvements.

"We want people living in these areas to feel safe and secure, but also to take pride in the place where they live, which is very much a central theme of the Respect Agenda."

Councillor Dale Smith, deputy leader of the Council, said: "Bradford Council and the Safer Communities partnership are stepping up efforts at a local level to tackle the real issues affecting people's lives. By working together, the Safer Communities partnership can make a significant difference to our district.

"We urge residents to help us make our communities cleaner, safer and more respectful places to live."

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