Merger for North Northamptonshire partnerships tackling organised crime

The community safety partnerships have duties to tackle organised crime, domestic abuse and anti social behaviour.

From the start of next month (July) the CSPs for Kettering, Wellingborough, Corby and East Northants will amalgamate in a bid for better partnership working between local government and senior police officers.

The aim is also to get a single approach to tackling the crimes, which are on the increase across the county.

A report to Corby Council’s One Corby meeting last week (June 18) said ‘crime trends, particularly serious organised crime, does not respect district or borough boundaries and there has been a slightly different approach to tackling similar problems.

“County-wide agencies have struggled to support each CSP, particularly on the back of reductions in resources. Usually, only the police commanders and each district of borough council engage at the CSPs. The opportunity to take a more holistic approach across the health, criminal justice, voluntary and social care sectors would be a positive move forward. Creating a single, larger CSP.”

The CSPs have statutory responsibilities to work together to reduce crime, substance abuse and re-offending in the local authority area.

There have been a number of high profile organized crime activities in the area in recent months including a drug outfit taking over the former Gala bingo hall in Kettering and setting up an £3m cannabis factory.

The managers of the four CSPs are currently putting together a plan for pooling resources.

To create the merger the CSPs made a recommendation to the Police and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold, who endorsed it earlier this year. The Home Office has also been notified.