Alley Gating in Blackburn with Darwen

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Alley Gating in Blackburn with Darwen

• Overview of Policy and Procedure
• Presented by
• Jonathan Newman
• Community Gate-It Co-ordinator

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No alley gate
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No alley gate
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With alley gate
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The legislation

• Strict legislative framework
• Home Office guidance papers
• Section 2 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and
  Environment Act 2005 (by insertion of a new s.129
  into Highways Act 1980 (c.66) and
• Statutory Instrument The Highways Act 1980
  (Gating Orders) (England) Regulations 2006 (SI
  2006 No. 537).

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The criteria

• To make an order the council must be satisfied
  that
• Crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB) affects
  premises adjoining or adjacent to the highway,
• the highway is facilitating such behaviour, or
• it is expedient to install alley gates to reduce
  such behaviour on
• adjacent and adjoining premises,
• other persons in the locality, and
• there is a reasonably convenient alternative
  route.

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The effect

• Is to restrict, to the extent specified, the
  public right of way over the highway.
• BUToccupiers of adjoining or adjacent premises
  excluded from restriction
• AS AREPolice Fire and Rescue Services and NHS
  Trust staff.
• ANDCouncil staff and its authorised contractors
  when in the exercise of their duties

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The effect

• An order may not be made if it
• restricts only or principle access to a dwelling,
  or
• Restricts access to a business or recreational
  premises during their normal opening times.
• Highway status of alley is retained
• Reverts to unrestricted highway on removal of
  gates

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The rationale

• Burglars prefer to break into houses where there
  is less chance of being seen
• Away from the main thoroughfare - rear doors or
  windows
• 2/3 of BwDBC burglaries have approach, entry and
  exit from property rear
• Shared alleys at the rear of their property
  assist burglars to operate.
• 20,000 terraced properties in Blackburn and
  Darwen.

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The rationale

• Crime or ASB alley gating can help alleviate
• - Fire starting
• - Fly tipping and other environmental crime
• - Alcohol related nuisance
• - Drug dealing / taking
• - Graffiti
• - Dog fouling
• - Sex working
• Also,
• Reduces fear of crime
• Increases community involvement and cohesion
• Improves environment beautification

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The evidence

• It alley gating is among the most effective
  crime prevention techniques that has been
  evaluated to date 1
• Diffusion of benefit to surrounding area, not a
  geographical displacement of criminal activity 1
  
• Satisfaction and safety increase over time 2
• Gates have stigmatised the area -90 disagreed
  2

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The perceptions

• Perceptions of safety, disorder and the area all
  improve
• before gating we had at least 5 burglaries
  since the alley gates have gone up ... weve not
  had a single burglary there has been a massive,
  massive reduction. I would say a good 90 3
• before gating he had his shed knocked over 2
  or 3 times? Now it doesnt happen
• Then fortunately the gates went up you do feel
  a bit safer. My partner does a lot more feel
  safer

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The cost implications

• 2004 Home Office research into the cost of
  burglary. Each burglary was costing a typical
  3,2684
• Or 2,000,000 per annum BwDBC
• Each alley gate costs only approx. 1,886
  including ongoing maintenance
• Liverpool scheme further shows a return of 1.86
  for every 1.00 spent on gating within 12 months
  of installation (Bowers et al. 2004).

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The statutory process

• A single stage process is laid out in the
  legislation
• The council must publish on its website and in
  the local paper a notice with the details of the
  Gating Order being sought and invite a response
  within 28 days.
• Additionally a notice must be placed on the
  highway itself.
• A copy of the notice must be sent to occupiers of
  adjoining and adjacent properties, councils whose
  land the highway passes through, chief officer of
  police, fire and rescue, NHS, any local access
  forum, service maintainers, utilities,
  communication providers and interested persons or
  those who request a copy or ask to be notified.
• All representations must be received by the
  council within 28 days of the day of the notice.

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The BwDBC process Overview

• A multi-stage process is carried out by BwDBC.
• BwDBC procedure ensures that all the statutory
  criteria are met and potential objections from
  statutory bodies received before any scheme is
  progressed beyond desktop investigation.
• Statistical evidence of crime and ASB is gathered
  from the police analyst attached to the Community
  Safety Partnership (CSP) to provide a firm
  evidential base for any proposed schemes.
• Further evidence is obtained from the
  Neighbourhood Police Teams and/or RSLs and,
• A request for evidence from residents during the
  course of the two stage consultation procedure.

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The statutory process The flow
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The BwDBC process The flow (part 1)

• Feasibility and
• Pre-consultation

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The BwDBC process The flow (part 2)

• Consultation

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The BwDBC process The flow (part 3)

• Implementation

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Conclusion

• How will we know if alley gating is a success or
  .not?
• The programme will be the subject of an audit
  annually.
• Overwhelming drop in the incidence of crime and
  anti-social behaviour in and around blocks of
  terraced houses that have had alley gates
  installed.
• Visual and anecdotal evidence that the alleys
  are
• much cleaner,
• they are being used by children without fear of
  broken glass or dirt (of all manner of
  descriptions)
• closer communities, with pride in their
  neighbourhoods, are being created.
• The feedback received from residents has been
  hugely supportive of the alley gates both on
  initial proposition of schemes and following
  installation

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Conclusion

• We have duty as a Council and within the
  Community Safety Team to work for the benefit of
  the majority but also for the protection of the
  minority
• Our aim always is to improve the quality of life
  and safety of the residents of Blackburn with
  Darwen.
• Alley gating is one hugely significant tool with
  which to help meet these objectives.

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NW Board schemes in place

• Oriole Close

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NW Board schemes in place

• Azalea Road and New Bank Road area

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NW Board Proposed schemes

• Ashworth Estate

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References

• 1 37 reduction compared to 20 street lighting
  and 40 for RV (repeat victimisation) strategies
• Bowers et al 2004 Closing off opportunities
  The impact of alley gating (MERSEYSIDE /
  LIVERPOOL)
• 2 CCTV evaluations show diminishing returns
• Armitage Smithson 2007 Alley-gating
  revisited Sustainability of residents
  satisfaction? (SURVEY / QUESTIONNAIRE)
• 3 This statement is particularly interesting
  given that no burglaries were reported prior to
  gate installation.
• Rogers, C. (2007), Alley-gates Theory and
  Practice A Perspective from Urban South Wales
  (QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS and FOCUS GROUP)
• 4 Dubourg et al (2005) - The economic and social
  costs of crime against individuals and households
  2003/4 figures