Bexley Council has formally adopted a new community safety strategy, aiming to bolster crime prevention and early intervention efforts across the borough.
The strategy, approved by councillors on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, outlines a commitment to tackling issues such as anti-social behaviour, hate crime, and serious youth violence through a wide programme of activity
. This includes training, outreach, and targeted interventions, alongside school workshops, mentoring programmes, and community engagement projects. Investment in specialist roles, such as coordinators for violence reduction and violence against women and girls, has also been prioritised to maintain a strong strategic and operational focus.
Despite facing a challenging funding landscape and the loss of several key funding streams, including the My Ends Partnership (MOPAC funding stream) and Serious Violence Duty funding (Home Office funding stream), the council is determined to maintain its focus on prevention. Councillor Brian Bishop, Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing, stated that the strategy continues our commitment to focus our efforts on prevention, early intervention and partnership working.
The council acknowledges the impact of these funding losses but is working proactively with partners to mitigate the effects and sustain effective elements of its safety approach. Furthermore, Bexley Council plans to continue to advocate Bexley's interests with the Mayor of London and the Home Office to ensure that our residents receive a fair share of resources and that funding decisions properly recognise both the needs of outer London Boroughs and the strong track record we have in delivering effective, value-for-money interventions that keep our communities safe.
The strategy will leverage external funding from sources such as the London Crime Prevention Fund and the Violence Reduction Unit. The council has also secured Home Office support as part of its funding.
Councillor Bishop also highlighted the ongoing work to support victims of domestic abuse, noting that Solace's Community Service received 1,387 referrals last year. Additional targeted support is being provided through specialist Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (IDVAs), with specific outreach for young people, families, and those from global majority backgrounds.
The council is also investing in prevention and awareness campaigns, with a dedicated police trainer delivering domestic abuse training to 190 officers. Group programmes, such as ARISE and the DAY programme, are also making a difference, with the latter expanding its reach to children and young people with special educational needs and operating within schools.
More details on the council's strategy and its adoption can be found in the public reports pack for the Council meeting on July 15, 2026 [http://democracy.bexley.gov.uk/documents/g30905/Public%20reports%20pack%2015th-Jul-2026%2019.30%20Council.pdf?T=10].
