The Safer and Stronger Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the latest performance data for the council, and to evaluate the impact of Operation Trailblazer, a project designed to tackle anti-social behaviour. The committee noted the Quarter Four Performance Management Report, which highlighted both positive achievements and areas needing improvement, and reviewed the findings of the Operation Trailblazer evaluation, which will inform future strategies for tackling anti-social behaviour.

Operation Trailblazer Evaluation

The committee reviewed the evaluation of Operation Trailblazer, a Home Office-funded pilot project aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) in County Durham and Darlington. The evaluation included lessons learned from the Hotspot Response Fund and the Immediate Justice initiative. Superintendent Neal Bickford was present to answer questions.

Hotspot Response Fund

The Hotspot Response Fund focused on increasing patrols and enforcement actions in identified ASB hotspot areas.

The evaluation highlighted that between July 2023 and March 2025, there were:

• 30,450 hours and 37 minutes of additional patrols
• 250 arrests
• 179 stop and searches
• 454 informal warnings
• 42 Community Protection Warnings¹
• 24 Community Protection Notices²
• 243 enforcement actions due to Public Space Protection Orders³
• 165 Fixed Penalty Notices⁴

Despite these actions, ASB nuisance remained the most prevalent type of ASB, with an average of 147 incidents each month, with inconsiderate behaviour accounting for the majority of ASB primary demand.

The evaluation identified several lessons learned:

• Too many hotspots: There were too many hotspots to focus on effectively, and the locations were not agile enough to change based on refreshed data. It was suggested that future initiatives should focus on 10-15 hotspots.
• Importance of visibility: Increased police visibility was found to increase public confidence and deter ASB.
• Community Safety Responders: The original plan to recruit dedicated Community Safety Responders faced recruitment difficulties, but an overtime model proved successful.
• Local Authority Wardens: Targeted work by neighbourhood wardens yielded strong results, but there was a need for more legal support to follow through with actions.
• Need for early intervention: There is a need to target known perpetrators earlier with a robust plan to tackle and modify their behaviour.

Immediate Justice

The Immediate Justice pilot aimed to provide opportunities for offenders of ASB to give back to the community within 48 hours of the offence. However, reservations were expressed regarding the 48-hour timescale, the wearing of high-visibility jackets, and the lack of incentive to complete the intervention. There were 37 referrals to Darlington Youth Justice as part of this scheme.

Hotspot Action Fund 2025/26

As part of the Plan for Change, £66.3 million has been made available in 2025/26 under the 'Hotspot Action' Fund for all 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales. This funding will support the Government's 'Safer Streets Mission' to halve knife crime over the next ten years, and to crack down on anti-social behavior (ASB).

Following a review of lessons learned from Trailblazer and partnership consultations, the 2025/26 delivery proposal includes:

• Analytical, visible patrols
• Problem solving
• A renewed focus on town centres

The proposed hotspots for 2025/26 are:

• Chester Le Street
• Stanley
• Consett
• Durham City
• Peterlee
• Bishop Auckland
• Crook
• Newton Aycliffe
• Darlington
• Spennymoor
• Seaham
• Horden
• Ferryhill
• Shildon
• Darlington 2 (Lascelles)

Safer Streets Summer Initiative

The primary goal of the focus on town centres this summer is to drive down crime and disorder and increase meaningful and visible consequences for the minority who feel it is acceptable to cause this scourge on our society.

The aims of the initiative are:

• To facilitate partnership working and collaboration with the OPCC, Chief Constable and other key local partners such as councils, schools, health services, business, transport and community to develop and deliver local plans focused on driving down retail and street crime and ASB in town centres across the force area this summer.
• Increased town centre patrols and other hotspots based on local demand and intelligence from July 2025.
• Maximised use of fines, including Fixed Penalty Notices, Penalty Notices for Disorder (where they are still in use in some forces), and through Out of Court Resolutions, demonstrating visible action against specific disorder and criminality.
• Maximised use of existing ASB powers, including increased enforcement of breaches of Public Space Protection orders and use of Community Protection Notices.
• Increased security patrols on key transport hubs/routes.
• Transparency and raising awareness with the public to demonstrate activity and progress

The objectives of the initiative are:

• Reduction in incidents of ASB in town Centres
• Reduction in street theft
• Reduction in shop theft
• Reduction in violence abuse against shop workers
• Increase in community confidence in policing
• Increase in feelings of safety in the public domain

Quarter Four Performance Management Report

The committee reviewed the Quarter Four Performance Management Report, which provided an overview of the council's performance against the objectives set out in the Council Plan 2024-28. The report highlighted performance in key areas such as housing standards, road safety, and anti-social behaviour.

Housing Standards

The report indicated that 62% of private sector rented properties covered by the selective licensing scheme⁵ are fully licensed, have licenses in progress, are exempt, or have legal proceedings instigated. The council aims to reach 100% by 2027.

The council has successfully prosecuted six people and issued 106 civil penalty notices for not obtaining a license, with 150 active investigations underway.

Road Safety

The report highlighted that during the 12 months ending March 2025, there were five more fatalities (two of whom were children) and 10 more serious casualties compared to the same period last year. Most casualties were aged 16-25. Car occupants, motorcyclists, and pedestrians continue to account for most of the casualties. Fatal and serious collision hotspot areas are linked to more urban areas, including Durham City, Bishop Auckland, Peterlee, Chester-le-Street, Consett and Stanley.

During quarter four (January and March), the council focused its campaign work on school crossing patrol sign compliance, being bright and being seen, highway code awareness, urban motorcycle safety, school gate parking, walking and cycling to school, and vehicle maintenance.

Anti-Social Behaviour

The report provided data on various types of anti-social behaviour and the actions taken to address them.

Between January and March, the council worked with partners and the local community of Blackhall Colliery, actioning 235 pieces of casework, including issuing 136 legal notices to 44 properties to remedy defects and remove noxious matter and vermin, carrying out 63 safe and wellbeing visits, and taking action to tackle illegal waste carriers and untaxed vehicles.

The council also carried out 11 enforcement operations to tackle illicit tobacco, seizing 17,680 cigarettes and 2,048 non-compliant vapes. One retail business was given a closure order, and two more closed by agreement and surrendered the lease to the property.

Twenty-nine unauthorised encampments were reported between January and March 2025, which is more than the same period last year when nine were reported.