Alcohol-related crime falling in Wirral

The latest findings about the impact of alcohol on communities have shown that Wirral has once again fared well in reducing the level of alcohol-related crime in the borough. 

The results, published by the North West Public Health Observatory in the 2010 Local Alcohol Profiles for England report last week, are a result of successful partnership working between the range of agencies responsible for community safety in Wirral.

The Local Alcohol Profiles analyse the negative impact that alcohol has upon the quality of individuals and communities lives by using a range of measures. The measures - 23 in total - range from the months of life lost because of alcohol abuse by people living on Wirral, the number of alcohol specific hospital admissions, through to the level of alcohol-related or induced crime on Wirral.

When compared alongside the results for other local authorities, Wirral is performing significantly better than the national and regional averages when it comes to reducing the levels of alcohol attributable recorded crimes, alcohol attributable violent crimes and alcohol attributable sexual offences.

Alcohol attributable recorded crimes, and alcohol attributable violent crime levels show that every year since 2005 Wirral has been successful in reducing the community safety aspect of alcohol in our communities. 

Steve McGilvray, Manager of the Joint Community Safety Team in Wirral, says: "This has only happened because of close partnership working between the Council and Police in Wirral, working together to prevent access to alcohol and preventing crime from happening by being visible in places where we know alcohol problems occur."

Councillor Chris Blakeley, Cabinet Member for Housing and Community Safety, adds: “While the overall picture around alcohol in the area isn’t a particularly happy one, we can take some comfort in the performance of our community safety partners in minimising the level of alcohol-related crime in the borough year on year.”

Merseyside Police Area Commander for Wirral, Chief Superintendent John Martin said: “The reductions in alcohol attributable crime have clearly been achieved by the combined efforts of a number of agencies on the Wirral. We will continue to work hard with our partners to make Wirral a safer place for everyone.”