The latest in a series of Days of Action in Bournemouth town centre is taking place today.
BCP Council, Dorset Police and their partners say it will demonstrate their commitment to ensuring public safety over the festive season.
The Day of Action will take place within Christmas Tree Wonderland, in Bournemouth town centre Square and Lower Gardens, and focus on anti-social behaviour (ASB) and helping to raise community engagement.
The council is keen to gather feedback from local residents, visitors, and businesses.
Others involved include Bournemouth Town Centre BID Rangers, WISE Litter Enforcement Officers and We are With You youth services.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) there have been decreases in ASB across Dorset.
Personal ASB is down 39 per cent, nuisance ASB 19 per cent and environmental ASB 27 per cent since 2022.
In the BCP area, reports of ASB have reduced by six per cent – equivalent to 113 individual cases.
The Day of Action launches alongside ASB Awareness Week, with a variety of local events and activities helping to spotlight different ASB themes, raising awareness for the issue and available support.
Councillor Kieron Wilson, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Regulatory Services at BCP Council, said: “I’m pleased to see this latest data showing a decline in ASB, both in the BCP area and across Dorset, reassuring us that our collective efforts are making a notable difference.
“This latest Day of Action allows us to directly engage with residents.
“We want to know what’s working, where improvements are seen, and what could be improved further in Bournemouth town centre, particularly over the busy festive period.”
In the last year, collaborative multi-agency work in Bournemouth town centre has achieved:
- Over 15,000 hours of foot patrols
- £1.4 million worth of illegal vapes and cigarettes being seized
- A Purple Flag award, recognising Bournemouth town centre’s outstanding nighttime economy
- The opening of ten new businesses, including The Ivy, Botanist and Patch Workspace
- A reduction in the commercial vacancy rate to 15.5%
The council, with the support of its partners, has also recently launched its BCP Unity Promise initiative to unite businesses in ensuring the safety of women and girls.
From Spring 2025, the Community Guardianship volunteer scheme will also launch, seeing trained volunteers working to protect the wellbeing of those enjoying the town centre’s nighttime economy.
Dorset Police, in collaboration with the council, will be hosting an engagement stand in the Lower Gardens from 10.00am.
Residents and visitors in the town centre are encouraged to visit and speak with officers, ask questions, and provide feedback.
Officers will also be operating a high-tech knife arch, helping people to understand the risks and consequences of carrying a knife.
Residents who are unable to visit Bournemouth town centre and engage directly in the Day of Action can still ask questions and provide feedback on social media, where BCP Council and Dorset Police will be sharing content throughout the day.