West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin publishes first crime plan as Leeds residents highlight worries over gangs, boy racers and lenient sentences

The impact of such criminal behaviour on people's lives has been highlighted as the Mayor of West Yorkshire published her first Police and Crime Plan with a vision of making the county safe, just, and inclusive.

Tracy Brabin said: "Devolution has given us control of the reins, which means we can now deliver for the people of West Yorkshire in a way, which we have never done before.

"I see this as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to focus our efforts on the issues which matter most to our communities."

Publication of the plan coincides with a series of events marking International Women’s Day, as the safety of women and girls sits at the heart of the three-year strategy.

The document sets out the strategic direction for West Yorkshire Police, working with community safety partners and commissioned services.

It highlights increasing police officer and staff numbers; putting victims first; and ensuring the force represents the communities it serves.

Mayor Tracy Brabin said: "I said in my manifesto pledge that I would place the safety of women and girls at the centre of my Police and Crime Plan and I have stood by that promise.

“After undertaking one of the biggest consultation exercises our county has ever seen, I know that it has the support of our communities and reflects what they want."

The plan includes feedback from residents in Leeds and across West Yorkshire who took the opportunity to share their concerns.

One Leeds parent said: "As a community we come together and try to look out for our young people who live here, but gangs come into the area and target our kids. I am terrified to let my youngest out in case they get involved with drugs or start carrying a weapon."

A female resident from Leeds pointed to data from the Office for National Statistics that shows "violence against women is very much an everyday reality", adding that the urgency at which this needs tackling is not reflected in the crime agenda locally or nationally."

In recent months, around 500 Leeds bars and other venues have signed up to the Ask for Angela scheme that allows women and girls across the region to ask staff for help if they begin to feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

A new safety bus is also being piloted in Leeds city centre by Women's Live Leeds, offering mobile phone charging facilities, support with calling a taxi and a place to talk about any concerns.

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Asking for more action to improve road safety, another women in Leeds said: "Boy racers, modified vehicles, quad bikes and dirt bikes have made urban areas of Leeds a misery throughout lockdown."

Meanwhile, a Leeds man responding to the consultation said he believed the police did want to get good outcomes for victims but faced obstacles when it came to building cases or the Crown Prosecution Services not wanting to proceed.

He added: "The courts issue lenient sentences leaving victims feeling disillusioned."

The plan places an emphasis on safer places and thriving communities, recognising the impact of Covid and poverty.

Likewise, it addresses key concerns around child sexual exploitation, sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and road safety.

Alison Lowe, the Deputy Mayor for Policing, said: "It consolidates what we heard from people, communities and partners far and wide and outlines our clear determination to tackling the issues which exist.

"Its success centres on working together and collaborations wider than just between the police, local authorities and the criminal justice system."

While the involvement of a wide range of organisations is considered essential, the report notes that an extra 252 frontline police and staff will be in place in West Yorkshire by next month compared to last May when Ms Brabin was elected to the post.

West Yorkshire Police's chief constable, John Robins, said the county's force was fully committed to helping to turn the "rightly challenging, but achievable" plan into reality.

"Safety for women and girls is rightly at the centre of this plan," he said. "We continue to invest significant resources in understanding the issues that specifically concern women and girls.

"We were pleased to recently be announced as a national ‘exemplar force’ for the way we combat violence against women and girls, but there is still so much more to be done."

He said he was "absolutely resolute and steadfast" about the force's commitment to neighbourhood policing, adding that it is "essential that we are visible, accessible and familiar within our communities."

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