Public urged to share views on community safety

The Derby City Lab is urging members of the public to take part in a Derby City Council survey, which aims to find out how safe people feel in Derby, including the city centre.

People who live in, work in or visit Derby are encouraged to share their views with the Community Safety Survey.

The city council said that the feedback gathered will ensure that people’s concerns are addressed and will help to shape future initiatives to improve public safety in Derby.

The survey includes questions ranging from how safe residents feel walking in their local area to asking what measures help them feel safe.

Councillor Ndukwe Onuoha, the city council’s cabinet member for Streetpride, public safety and leisure, said: “Public safety is a top priority for the council.

“We have been working hard to create a safe city for all, and we want to ensure that every resident feels safe, whether in the city centre or their local area.

“I encourage all members of the community to take part in this survey. The feedback that we gather will help us to improve the safety and wellbeing of residents and visitors in Derby. Together, we can create a safe city for all.”

The overall aim of the survey is to help the council understand the issues that matter most to individuals.

It wants to hear your views on crime and community safety, so that it can work together with local partners to address these problems.

Last month was Purple Flag Month – and for the past 10 years, Derby has held Purple Flag status.

The Purple Flag recognises towns and cities that provide a safe, welcoming, and well-managed night-time economy, similar to the Blue Flag for beaches and the Green Flag for parks.

The Purple Flag is only accredited to towns and cities that are welcoming to everyone, offer safe ways for visitors to travel home, provide a good mix of venues, and are appealing after dark.

The accreditation means that Derby has benefitted from more visitors, lower crime and anti-social behaviour, and a safer city centre.

It also recognises the hard work that goes on both on the streets and the planning from local authorities to make the city centre safer at night.

However, the city council also recognises that more needs to be done to help people feel safe in Derby 24/7.

Councillor Nadine Peatfield, leader of Derby City Council, said: “Through a partnership effort, our teams have been working hard to ensure that Derby remains a safe city for all.

“This year we have also invested £147,679 of government funding in new CCTV cameras in the city centre to make everyone, particularly women and girls, feel safer at night.

“I look forward to working further on the city centre’s safety and ensuring that Derby is a safe and welcoming city for all.

“We have an ambition to use the next application as a launch pad to go beyond the Purple Flag standard and do even more for community safety.”

It is estimated that the Community Safety Survey takes around 10 to 15 minutes to complete, with all responses treated as confidential.

The survey is open until midnight on 22 December and can be found at https://letstalk.derby.gov.uk/community-safety-survey.

For more information about the Derby City Lab, including opening times, visit https://derbycitylab.com/.