Brinnington, Shaw Heath, Hillgate & Central Stockport Archives - Page 3 of 7

‘Safer In Stockport’ Summer Campaign

Cllr Sue Derbyshire oversees crushing of 30 illegal bikes

Stockport Council and Greater Manchester Police, working together in the Safer Stockport Partnership, are holding a month long initiative aimed at reducing crime and anti-social behaviour across Stockport.

The ‘Safer in Stockport’ initiative was launched with the crushing of 30 off-road motorcycles that have been seized by the Police.

These motorcycles have been confiscated under Police powers for being driven illegally on public roads, for causing damage to public spaces and for creating nuisance to residents, which is one of the main complaints received over the summer.

Councillor Sue Derbyshire, Leader of Stockport Council said: “We are working in partnership with Greater Manchester Police and its partners to show residents that Off-Road motorcycles are dangerous and cause a lot of noise and disruption to others. This event will hopefully show members of the public that you can have a motorcycle as long as you ride it legally and in a safe way.”

See more about the SSP and the ‘Safer in Stockport’ initiative on their website visit or call 0161 474 3143 or follow on Twitter @SaferStockport.

Crime Down in Stockport

Crime has fallen in Stockport every years since 2003

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released the latest crime figures data, broken down by both type of crime and area.

Stockport’s figures show that recorded crime in Stockport more than halved between March 2003 and March 2013 falling 54%.

Specific areas of crime that came down in that time include

• Criminal damage and arson down 60%
• Domestic burglary down 60%
• Fraud down 67%
• Robbery down 65%
• Vehicle offences down 71%
• Violence with injury down 47%

Exceptions to the trend include sexual offences, reported up 2%,”Violence without injury” has also gone up, a category that includes assault without injury but also possession of weapons and harassment.

Away from the raw statistics, the Crime Survey of England & Wales confirms the falling trend.

But more needs to be dene to combat crime in Stockport. That is why the Council helped create the Safer Stockport Partnership to work closely with the Police and other key agencies in the borough to make sure the trend downwards continues.

Wage War on Wonga

Vince Cable Backing Stockport Apprenticeships

Liberal Democrat Vince Cable used a visit to a Stockport credit union to back the Archbishop of Canterbury’s plans to put payday lenders, such as Wonga, out of business through the use of Credit Unions.

Cable said “There is a big opportunity for Credit Unions to grow and support their local communities and their local businesses, too. It has been good to come and see at first-hand how Stockport Credit Union has developed so far, and I certainly wish it well in its plans for expanding its work.”

Lisa Smart, a volunteer at Stockport Credit Union, said “Volunteering at the credit union is great fun and worthwhile too. Giving people access to savings and low-cost loans across Stockport says very clearly “Loan sharks are not welcome here!”

Click here for a link to the Stockport Credit Union or you can ring them on 0161 430 5808 or email them at mail@stockportcu.com.

Summer Campaign – 100 Apprentices in 100 Days

Lib Dem policies at local and national level and led to a 60% increase in Stockport apprenticeships

Stockport Council has joined forces with some of the borough’s key employers to take on the challenge of securing 100 Stockport apprentices in 100 days.

Although Stockport’s JSA claimant rate continues to decrease month by month and is below the North West average, getting more young people into employment is a top priority for the Lib Dems at the council and in government.

Apprenticeships are a powerful and vital tool in achieving this. Stockport Council has an award-winning track record on creating apprenticeships and Cllr Sue Derbyshire, council leader, is working hard to promote the 100-in-100 campaign.

Stockport is currently the 3rd best Borough in the North West for apprenticeships. 2011/12 saw over 3,000 apprenticeship start-ups in Stockport. An increase of nearly 1,500 compared to the previous Labour government.

Crime falls in Stockport for 9th consecutive year

Sue Derbyshire addressed the Safer Stockport Partnership conference

Lib Dem Councillors Sue Derbyshire and Mark Weldon remain determined to keep crime in Stockport falling after the Borough’s partnership model was praised for helping lower crime in Stockport for the ninth year in a row.

The recent Safer Stockport Partnership conference heard how crime has continued to fall thanks to successful partnership working.

The SSP has helped deliver sustained crime reduction in Stockport over the last nine years with over 15,000 victims of crime. Over the nine year period all crime has been reduced by 51% and burglary in people’s houses by 52%.

Councillor Weldon, who opened the conference, said: “It’s a remarkable achievement that crime has continued to fall in Stockport for the ninth consecutive year thanks to the highly successful partnership work of the SSP. However, we are not complacent and we are determined to ensure that crime continues to fall even further by building on the close working relationships with community groups and partner organisations.”

Stockport teenager removes his own graffiti

Before and after his cleanup of his own graffiti — Before and after the graffiti cleanup from a graffiti culprit

A Stockport teenager cautioned by Greater Manchester Police for graffiti offences has removed his graffiti himself.

The formal police warning was followed by intervention from Stockport Council’s Youth Offending Service. The intervention can involve restoration to the victim to repair any harm caused by the offence.

The young person agreed to complete ‘restorative justice’ by removing the graffiti from the skate park at Woodford Recreation Ground.

Councillor Stuart Bodsworth, Executive Member for Communities and Sustainability, said: “The graffiti removal allowed the young person to turn a negative situation into a positive. He said that it made him realise how difficult it was to remove the graffiti and that it would change his behaviour in the future.”

“Graffiti is an illegal practice. It spoils public and private property and can be very costly to remove. The Council’s enforcement team works closely with the Youth Offending Service and the police to tackle incidents of graffiti to keep Stockport an attractive place to work, visit and live.”