Youth safety concerns are on the rise in Bexley, with younger residents reporting higher levels of insecurity. A recent review of the community safety strategy highlighted a notable shift in survey respondents' feelings of safety, with younger people now reporting feeling unsafe more frequently than older populations.
Councillor Caroline Day emphasized the importance of community reassurance and noted new funding for youth clubs and diversion programmes. She also requested a breakdown of statistics specifically for residents who do not feel safe. The Deputy Director confirmed that such a breakdown could be provided, acknowledging the significant change in survey respondents' feelings of safety and noting that this was the first time younger respondents reported feeling unsafe more than older residents. The exact timeline for this breakdown is not yet specified, but it is confirmed that the team is working on it and the details will be shared.
The strategy, developed in partnership with various agencies including the police and fire brigade, aims to address issues such as anti-social behaviour and serious violence. The Bexley Community Safety Strategy 2026-2030 document defines 'Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB)' as 'behaviour which causes - or is likely to cause - harassment, alarm or distress to others.' This includes personal, nuisance, and environmental types, with examples ranging from vehicle nuisance and rowdy behaviour to littering, vandalism, and graffiti. 'Serious violence' is broadly defined as 'violence that results in serious physical harm or has the potential to cause serious harm' and encompasses a range of crimes including gang violence, knife crime, gun crime, drug crime, murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, and violence against women and girls.
Councillor Chris Taylor underscored the value of integrating data from the NetEngage app into strategic decision-making. The Deputy Director reiterated that a detailed breakdown of statistics could be supplied and again pointed to the shift in survey respondents feeling unsafe, with younger individuals now expressing this sentiment more than older residents.
