St Helens community walkabout brings Safer Streets Summer to life

ST Helens Town Centre hosted a community walkabout as part of the Safer Streets Summer campaign led by Merseyside's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).

The event saw PCC, Emily Spurrell, joined by the Council's Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities Councillor Trisha Long, ward Councillors, the local policing team.

Together, they met residents and businesses to discuss safety and visibility, and highlight the work being undertaken to tackle street and retail crime and antisocial behaviour (ASB) through the initiative.

The walkabout also showcased the practical steps being taken to improve public safety, with visible patrols and collaborative problem-solving at the heart of the event.

Merseyside's Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said:- "This is Safer Streets Summer in action; not just tackling crime, but building pride, connection, and confidence in our communities. We're working closely with local partners to make sure people feel safe and supported, so it was great to get some many people involved today's walkabout in St Helens to listen to the issues and concerns residents and businesses are facing and discuss practical solutions. This campaign is about showing what's possible when we invest in people and places. Whether you're shopping in Town, enjoying a park, or heading out for the evening, we want you to feel safe, supported, and proud of where you live."

The walkabout was an opportunity to highlight the work being done to reduce antisocial behaviour and improve public safety in St Helens, with Police Officers engaging with the community and increasing visibility in public spaces.

Chief Inspector Jon Smith of the St Helens Neighbourhood Policing Team said:- "The Police and Crime Commissioner's walkabout provided an excellent opportunity to showcase the collaborative approach we're taking with St Helens Borough Council and our community partners to tackle criminality and anti-social behaviour in the Town centre. We were able to highlight how St Helens is benefiting from a combination of high visibility patrols and plain-clothes work by our dedicated Town Centre team, supported by the new e-bikes that enhance our ability to patrol both the Town Centre and the green spaces in the surrounding area. We can't do this work on our own, so we rely on the support of the public and businesses to report crime and suspicious activity, helping us better target our resources and plan our operations. With this intelligence-led and problem-solving approach, together, we're creating a safer St Helens and welcoming environment where residents and visitors can shop, socialise, and enjoy everything our Town has to offer."

Yesterday's walkabout follows the launch of the Safe Nights, Great Places campaign last week, which highlights the importance that local night time economy businesses and partners place on ensuring that the borough is a vibrant, welcoming and safe place to enjoy an evening out. Backed by funding from the PCC, the campaign recognises the coordinated efforts of local venues, licensing teams, and safety partners to make the Town Centre a welcoming and secure destination after dark and celebrates St Helens' nationally recognised Purple Flag status.

Councillor Trisha Long, St Helens Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, said:- "Our Purple Flag status shows that St Helens Town Centre people can enjoy safely, day or night, and the Safe Nights, Great Places campaign builds on that success across the borough by working hand-in-hand with our venues, businesses, and community partners. Joined-up initiatives like this and Safer Streets Summer are so important because they bring together the Council, Police, partners and local people to create a borough that is vibrant, welcoming, and safe for everyone. By combining visible patrols, practical safety measures, and community engagement, we're not just tackling crime; we're building pride and confidence in St Helens Borough as a great place to live, work, and visit."

The event is part of a wider summer campaign across Merseyside, bringing together Police, Councils, and community groups to deliver high impact interventions and showcase the positive change being made through the Safer Streets Summer initiative.

Libraries expand to offer more face to face services

LIVERPOOL City Council is making it easier for residents to access face to face services by enabling queries to be answered in libraries.

It forms part of the Council's:- 'Customer Experience Improvement Plan,' designed to address resident feedback that has called for more integrated, responsive and user-friendly services.

Staff can help  residents:- report issues, request services, make a payment to the Council, upload documents or book an appointment to see a specialist Officer.

The service has been successfully trialled at Parklands and Garston libraries since last autumn, and has now been rolled out to Norris Green and Allerton.

These libraries now provide face-to-face services throughout their opening hours, with the aim being to roll this service out to all Council-run libraries by March 2026.

The Council is also introducing a new case management platform, seamlessly integrating our systems and allowing us to more efficiently track, manage, and resolve customer requests. As well as delivering enhanced self service capabilities the system will utilise AI and automation to reduce routine administrative tasks, giving our staff more them more time to spend supporting our residents.

The aim is to make it easier for residents to access support in whichever way is best for them, either on line, over the phone or in person along with real-time updates and easy access to information.

Cllr Ruth Bennett, Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Transformation, said:- "We have listened to our residents, and are making these changes so that they can speak to Council staff face-to-face in locations and times that are more convenient for them. This step will ensure that our libraries remain at the heart of our communities, delivering excellent customer service. Together with our work to improve our digital services, we are making it easier than ever for residents to get help in a way that suits them."

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