In October, Black History Month was celebrated with this year’s theme ‘Reclaiming Narratives’.

Members of the Hertsmere CSP attended the Diversity Festival at Allum Hall, Borehamwood in October to celebrate diversity and coming together as a community.

National Hate Crime Awareness Week aims to raise awareness of all forms of hate incidents and crimes, including homophobia, transphobia, racism, sexism, faith discrimination and disability discrimination. Community engagements were held during the awareness week, running from 12 to 19 October, to raise awareness, signpost to support and encourage reporting.

Hertsmere Borough Council and the Healthy Hub on Leeming Road are third party reporting centres. These centres will make reports to the police on behalf of victims who do not want to go directly to the police. Reports can be made anonymously. You can contact our Customer Services Team on 020 8207 2277 or customer.services@hertsmere.gov.uk.  

The council, in partnership with SAFE by CST, ran a free ‘Hate Crime’ webinar in October.

The seminar included a welcome introduction from Iman Atta OBE from TellMAMA and looked at how to deal with the current five strands of hate crime.

Speakers discussed the complexity of hate crime, how it can affect entire communities and how it can spread.

To find out more about hate crime, how to report it and support organisations available, please visit: www.hertsmere.gov.uk/hatecrime.

This week of action aims to tackle business and retail crime.

CSP partners from the council’s Community Safety team, Community Enforcement Officers and police visited retailers and other businesses to understand more about the issues they are facing.

Community engagements were held throughout the week with officers signing shoppers up to the Herts Connected messaging system, which allows residents to keep up to date with what is happening in their local area. Residents receive free messages from the police, Neighbourhood Watch, the Police and Crime Commissioner’s office and Action Fraud. Once logged in, be sure to ‘edit your interests’ to ensure you receive the types of messages that are of interest to you.

The messages contain information about crime and events in the area, local policing priorities and crime prevention advice.

You can register now by visiting www.hertsconnected.co.uk.

Two Older Person’s Activity Learning and Safety (OPALS) events have taken place in the borough.

Over 60s received valuable advice and support from organisations including Hertsmere Police, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, Communities 1st, Age UK and more.

The events featured stalls offering information and advice, speakers and a seated exercise taster session from Herts Sport and Physical Activity Partnership’s Live Longer Better team.

Across both events, 74% of attendees said they will now be able to keep themselves safer.

The Hertsmere CSP played their part to show support for Anti-social Behaviour (ASB) Awareness Week which ran from Monday 18 – Sunday 24 November 2024.

Agencies from across the CSP held engagement events in Darkes Lane, Potters Bar and Borehamwood Shopping Park to hear about what is important to residents and about any concerns they had.

We also promoted useful information on our social media platforms, including how to report ASB and accessing the ASB Case Review, as well as how to recognise signs of cuckooing and other safety information.

For more information about ASB, advice on reporting and further information about the ASB Case Review visit: www.hertsmere.gov.uk/asb.

The 16 Days of Activism (25 November – 10 December) calls on us all to take a stand against gender-based violence because there is #NoExcuse. The start of the 16 Days is also marked by White Ribbon Day where men are encouraged to hold themselves accountable to women, and to each other. The White Ribbon Flag flew outside the Hertsmere Civic Office during the 16 Days.

Throughout the 16 Days, we have shown support for these campaigns on social media by sharing informative posts and ‘oranging’ our social media logos. Our councillors have also shown their support by participating in a series of videos highlighting what being an ally means to them. You can watch these on our YouTube channel: Hertsmere Borough Council - YouTube

We have been raising awareness of violence against women and girls and domestic abuse. SAHWR Specialist Domestic Abuse Services delivered three Domestic Abuse Training and Awareness sessions to council staff, elected members and partner agencies.

Resources and crime prevention advice and goodies were provided to attendees. Staff have also been given the opportunity to take a White Ribbon badge to show their commitment to ending gender-based violence and make a donation to the White Ribbon campaign.

Hertsmere Borough Council staff have also generously donated to a collection for SAHWR Specialist Domestic Abuse Services who provide safe accommodation for anyone who cannot be kept safe within their own home. Items from the collections were given to families within these safe accommodations.

We asked staff to mark Orange the World by wearing orange on 27 November to visibly highlight the issue of violence against women and girls.

Information on support services and further learning have been shared such as The Suzy Lamplugh Trust’s Bystander Training which provides advice on defusing situations, discouraging harassers and supporting victims. For support services available to victims and survivors of domestic abuse visit: www.hertsmere.gov.uk/domesticabuse.

Throughout the quarter, the Hertsmere CSP have held community engagements in hotspot areas that have been effected by issues such as crime, anti-social behaviour, rogue trading and scams.

A variety of agencies attend these events including the council's Community Safety team, Environmental Health and Community Enforcement Officers, Hertsmere Police, Hertfordshire Mind Network and Beacon.

Recent locations have included a parade of shops near a blocks of flats recently affected by crime and anti-social behaviour and Bushey High Road. A follow up visit to a block of flats in Borehamwood was also conducted following an Environmental Visual Audit. The visit reviewed the changes that had been made following recommendations to improve safety and reduce anti-social behaviour.

Help us to make your community a safer, healthier and happier place to live and work – with a career that offers great benefits, support and flexible working.

You really can make a difference when you start a career at Hertsmere Borough Council, and we have varied roles to choose from.

We offer job opportunities that have a direct and lasting impact on the lives of local residents, and our flexible working practices mean you can regain your work-life balance and focus on what’s important to you.

Find out more about working at Hertsmere and the roles currently on offer: www.hertsmerecareers.co.uk or hear from our staff here: https://youtu.be/7V36gNR56Gs