Knowsley Community Safety Partnership: Delivering safer communities through Prevention, Partnership and Action

Knowsley Community Safety Partnership: Delivering safer communities through Prevention, Partnership and Action

Knowsley continues to demonstrate the strength of its partnership approach to community safety, with the latest Strategic Threat Assessment highlighting significant progress in tackling anti-social behaviour, domestic abuse and serious and organised crime.

Knowsley Community Safety Partners, including Knowsley Council, Merseyside Police, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and other partners, presented the findings this week to the Council's Corporate Resources and Communities Scrutiny Committee.

The Strategic Threat Assessment provides the Committee with an overview of crime and anti-social behaviour within the Borough and a review of the progress taken against the Community Safety Plan 2025 - 2028, which is focused on delivering the Knowsley 2030 priority of making Knowsley a place "where strong and safe communities can shape their future."

Tackling anti-social behaviour

As one of the Partnership's three key priorities, anti-social behaviour remains a central focus of community safety activity across the borough.

At a time when national surveys show increasing concern about anti-social behaviour, Knowsley has achieved positive results through targeted interventions, community engagement and sustained partnership working. These achievements support the vision of the Knowsley Community Safety Partnership, helping to keep our communities safe.

While national data indicates that more people are experiencing or witnessing anti-social behaviour, Knowsley has bucked the trend. During 2025/26, anti-social behaviour incidents fell by 4.8% compared to last year, reducing from 1,821 incidents to 1,734.

Particularly encouraging is the 28% reduction in personal anti-social behaviour incidents, which involve behaviour targeting specific individuals or groups. These incidents often have the greatest impact on victims, making this reduction a significant achievement.

Knowsley's anti-social behaviour rate now stands at 11 incidents for every 1,000 people, compared to the national rate of 17 per 1,000 people.

This success has been driven by a coordinated partnership response. Intelligence-led community walkabouts spearheaded by the Council's Community Safety team (formerly Crime and Communities) have played a key role, with Community Safety officers completing 54 walkabouts across the borough during 2025/26. These visible patrols not only reassure residents but also gather valuable intelligence and strengthen community relationships.

The successful response to concerns in Page Moss demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach. Following increased reports of Anti-Social Behaviour, agencies worked together to implement targeted interventions, engage residents and establish ongoing partnership meetings. What began as a reactive response has evolved into a proactive model that is now informing future approaches across the borough.

Crime rates in Knowsley

Despite a small increase in reported crime across Merseyside, Knowsley recorded the lowest percentage increase (1.3%) among all five local authority areas served by Merseyside Police. This reflects the positive influence of early intervention programmes, targeted police activity and effective partnership working.

Strong Action Against Serious and Organised Crime

Partners continue to take robust action against serious and organised crime through initiatives such as EVOLVE, Knowsley's locally branded Clear, Hold, Build programme.

During 2025/26 alone, there were 486 disruptions of organised crime groups linked to Knowsley threats. Across the same period, police seized 401 weapons, including 213 knives and 55 firearms, helping to prevent harm and reduce the impact of serious violence within communities.

High-profile operations such as Operation Vanguard further demonstrated the commitment to tackling criminality. The operation resulted in 49 arrests, the seizure of drugs, cash and vehicles, and the recovery of firearms-related evidence.

Responding to Domestic Abuse and Violence Against Women and Girls

Domestic abuse remains a key priority for the Partnership.

Demand for support services continues to increase, demonstrating both growing awareness and confidence in accessing help. During 2025/26:

• 2,918 referrals were made to domestic abuse services, an increase of 522 referrals
• 1,770 survivors received support
• 83% of referrals involved women
• Referrals to the CHOICES perpetrator programme increased by 9%

The Partnership continues to invest in prevention, survivor support and perpetrator interventions as part of its commitment to reducing domestic abuse and violence against women and girls.

Be the Change

The Knowsley Community Safety Partnership Strategic Plan has now been in place for 12-months and during that period there has been a focus on continuing to embed and expand local approaches to community safety, with a greater focus on creating a supportive environment for residents, particularly young people and families. This approach includes the Be The Change programme, which has become the cornerstone of Knowsley's community safety strategy. Now entering its third year of funding from the Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership, Be The Change guides the delivery of youth engagement programmes across the borough. Its core philosophy revolves around inspiring young people to aspire, opening doors to new opportunities, and providing positive role models who can influence their development away from the criminal justice system and risky relationships.

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Cllr Shelley Powell, Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods, said: "Initiatives such as Be the Change continue to transform lives and aspirations across the borough. Having now reached more than half of Knowsley's population through direct and indirect engagement, the programme has been independently praised for its approach to early intervention and tacking crime and anti-social behaviour.

"The evidence from 2025/26 demonstrates that while challenges remain, Knowsley's partnership approach is delivering tangible results. Falling anti-social behaviour levels, reductions in youth offending, strong outcomes for vulnerable children, successful disruption of organised crime and continued investment in prevention are helping to create safer, stronger and more resilient communities across the borough.

"Through sustained collaboration and a commitment to putting residents at the heart of community safety, the Community Safety Partnership is helping to ensure Knowsley continues to be a place where people feel safe, secure and proud to call home."