Safer 6 campaign update

The annual Sandwell Safer 6 campaign took place between 31 October and 11 December.

The ‘6 weeks, 6 towns’ community safety partnership campaign, which saw each week have a focus on one of the six towns in Sandwell, involved a wide range of activities and events.

These aimed to raise awareness of community safety, boost engagement, tackle concerns and showcase services and support available all year around to help people stay safe.

A snapshot of some of the highlights is included in this newsletter below. You can also find more advice, photos and information from Safer 6 activities across our six towns using the #Safer6 hashtag on Twitter.

We would like to say a big thank you to all residents, staff, councillors, partner organisations, community groups and volunteers who supported this year's campaign.

Action taken on illegal trading During Week 5 of Safer 6, Trading Standards officers working alongside the Sandwell Licensing Team and West Midlands Police seized 755 illegal vaping devices, 102 packets of illegal cigarettes and 118 suspected counterfeit designer items from six businesses in West Bromwich. The items had a combined retail value of more than £26,000. Trading Standards also led a test purchasing exercise in West Bromwich where four out of five shops visited illegally sold a disposable vape to a 16-year-old volunteer. All four shops have received warnings. Find out about more Trading Standards operations this autumn and the team's warning and advice to stay vigilant against scammers.

Weapon surrender bin installed in Smethwick

A new Weapon Surrender Bin was installed in Sandwell during Safer 6. The bin, which is funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner, is located at the Windmill Shopping Centre in Cape Hill, Smethwick.

The bins are designed so people can discreetly and legally dispose of knives, blades and other dangerous objects in a safe way. 

Councillor Danny Millard, Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for communities, said: “Taking knives off our streets is an effective way of tackling the serious issue of knife crime in our communities.

“The culture of carrying a weapon is one we must try to eradicate. I’d like to encourage people with knives they shouldn’t be carrying to deposit them safely in this bin, with no questions asked.”

Sandwell Council signs pledge to stamp out domestic abuse

Sandwell Council has signed a new Domestic Abuse Pledge to work with partner organisations to ensure that all forms of abuse will not be tolerated in Sandwell. The new pledge builds on existing partnership working in Sandwell. 

Council Leader Councillor Kerrie Carmichael, Cabinet Member for Communities Councillor Danny Millard and Director of Borough Economy Alice Davey signed the pledge as part of the Safer 6 campaign and to help mark White Ribbon Day on 25 November, the start of the 16 Days of Action (against gender-based violence).

The pledge commits the council to promote a culture of respect and equality for everyone in their relationships and also in their interactions with agencies, so that anyone who becomes a victim of domestic abuse or sexual assault and abuse is able to engage with services.

Read the Domestic Abuse Pledge in full.

Domestic abuse support is available

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse and needs support, you can contact Black Country Women's Aid. The charity provides a range of services and support to women and men experiencing domestic abuse from all communities, ethnicities and backgrounds. You can contact them 24 hours a day on 0121 552 6448 or visit the Black Country Women's Aid website for more ways to get in touch.

There is also a service for men and boys who have experienced domestic abuse, rape and sexual abuse. Contact Ask Marc by phone (0121 289 6402), email (info@askmarc.co.uk) or visit the Ask Marc website for more information.

Birmingham LGBT Centre can also provide a range of support services for LGBT victims.

More advice on domestic abuse and support services

Community Understanding Extremism Training Sandwell Council’s Prevent Team ran a number of information sessions and community training during Safer 6 for parents, carers, communities and professionals to learn more about extremism and how this could affect vulnerable people in Sandwell. This included a Community Understanding Extremism Training session in Oldbury which was attended by 40 people who learnt more about different forms of extremism from specialist trainers and how to spot early signs of extremism and report any concerns. Advice on Prevent and how to report concerns

Online Safety – Against Extremism Guide launched for parents and carers

A new guide for parents and carers to raise awareness of how to keep children safe online and prevent them being targeted by extremist material was launched by Sandwell Council’s Prevent Team as part of Safer 6.

The guide encourages parents and carers not only to increase their awareness of how to keep children safe online in general, but also shows how easily they can be exposed to extremist material online as well.

Topics covered include information about the different apps, games, social media platforms, message boards, fake news and clickbait, and how extremist influencers can use these to target and attract young people to their information, which often then links to extremist content.

The online safety guide is available on the council's website and also contains contact details of agencies – including the council’s Prevent team – that can provide further information and support, and training.

Hate crime awareness Awareness of hate crime was raised across Sandwell during Safer 6 via information stands, social media campaigns and workshops with youth clubs too (at Dorothy Parkes Centre and Brasshouse Community Centre). Workshops covered the effects of hate crime on victims, families and communities, how to report this and where to find support in Sandwell.

Our Hate Crime Policy Jam took place at West Bromwich African Caribbean Resource Centre which bought together the findings from the community No Place for Hate workshops held across all six towns in Sandwell earlier in the autumn. A community-informed hate crime toolkit is now being devised on the back of the policy jam which will be shared with community organisations in Sandwell. Advice on hate crime and how to report it

Crime prevention sessions Thanks to volunteers from Sandwell Crime Prevention Panel, council staff, councillors and partner organisations for supporting a number of crime prevention and community safety sessions in neighbourhoods during the Safer 6 campaign. Residents were offered free personal and home security items as well as advice and tips on keeping themselves, their loved ones and their property safe. Sessions were held in Greets Green in West Bromwich, Wednesbury town centre and Bristnall in Oldbury.

Litter picks in neighbourhoods Neighbourhood litter picks were held across Sandwell during the Safer 6 campaign. A big thank you to volunteers from the Litter Watch charity, council officers, councillors and partner organisations for taking part in litter picks and helping to tidy up areas where concerns about litter have been raised. Litter Watch is an award-winning community led charity, supported by Sandwell Council and Serco.

CCTV Control Room helps tackle issues

Sandwell Council’s CCTV Control Room dealt with several incidents that involved the misuse of fireworks including a series of incidents in one of our high-rise blocks where fireworks were let off in communal areas.

Staff captured images of those responsible which were then passed on to colleagues from the Anti-Social Behaviour Team which worked with partners to identify perpetrators and take further action.

The team also received praise from partners at the police for CCTV work that helped police officers locate a man wanted for two serious assaults, a burglary and suspected to be responsible for several other serious offences. Diligent work carried out by control room operators identified an address that helped locate the man. The police said this would not have been possible without the crucial work of the operators.

Harm Reduction Vehicle takes to the road

A new van, originally used as an ambulance, is now supporting people to address any issues they may have with their use of alcohol or other drugs.

Stop Loan Sharks

Experts have warned that unscrupulous lenders could try to cash in on the festive period as households struggle to cope with rising food, fuel and energy bills.

A report published by the Centre for Social Justice estimated that 1.08 million people could already be in debt to an illegal money lender. This is over 700,000 more people than the most recent official estimate.

Loan sharks pose a dangerous threat to all communities. They charge exorbitant interest rates and target the most vulnerable with aggressive and exploitative practices. The impact of illegal money lending is severe and far-reaching, with devastating consequences for the mental health and wellbeing of those affected.

Are you worried about a friend or family member who is being taken advantage of by a loan shark? Contact the Stop Loan Sharks 24/7 Helpline on 0300 555 2222 for support or visit the Stop Loan Sharks website.

Anti-Bullying Week roadshows

Sandwell’s SHAPE programme took its annual Anti-Bullying Week roadshow to more than 600 children and young people in schools in November.

The programme is delivered in partnership with the council’s Young People's Services and West Midlands Police.

The theme of this year’s roadshow was ‘Reach Out’, encouraging children and young people to have the confidence to speak to a trusted adult if they have concerns, and the SHAPE team visited 12 schools in Sandwell – eight primary, two secondary and two special schools.

To support the roadshow, and its workshops, six videos were created as a training resource as part of the anti-bullying training which is being delivered to school teaching professionals.

More information on the Anti-Bullying Week roadshows

You can view all of the resources from this year’s Anti-Bullying Week on the Just Youth website.

Useful links

For more information on where you can find support in Sandwell if you have been the victim of an abuse or crime whether this is recent or was a long time ago.

Find out how to get involved and play your part in making your community even safer.