Safer Annual Review 2011 - Cleaner and safer streets and public places

Big Spring Clean

Over 3,000 volunteers took part in this year's Big Spring Clean campaign across Sandwell - clearing over six tonnes of rubbish between them.

This year, Sandwell Council teamed up with its waste partner Serco and local charity Tipton Litterwatch to recruit volunteers to help make the borough a cleaner place.

Residents, schools and community groups from right across the borough volunteered to take part. The Big Spring Clean is an annual campaign to help make Sandwell's neighbourhoods, local parks and town centres sparkle.

Meanwhile, Sandwell's Eco Bus, a project developed by the the council, Serco and Tipton Litterwatch, has been touring schools since November 2011.

New team for recycling, rubbish and waste

Sandwell Council teamed up with Serco in November 2010 to make improvements to waste, recycling and street cleaning across Sandwell.

Read more about the council's waste plans, your collection days and recycling. You can also get information on keeping Sandwell clean and tidy.

People can report a problem by emailing contact@sandwell.gov.uk or calling 0845 359 7501.

Dog fouling

Sandwell Council wardens have chalked up a massive increase in dog mess fines as they step up their drive to meet residents' concerns.

All wardens issue fines for dog fouling. And the council has recently given one warden the specific task of targeting early morning walkers who don't clean up their dog's mess.

For dog fouling offences, wardens issue a £75 fine, which is reduced to £50 if paid within 10 days.

People can report dog fouling by emailing contact@sandwell.gov.uk or calling Sandwell Council on 0845 359 7501.

CCTV helps crime campaigns

Since opening in 2010, Sandwell Homes' new CCTV and concierge control room has been a great success in making life safer for Sandwell people.

And it has played a major role in campaigns to cut crime across Sandwell, including Operation Steel, a police-led initiative to tackle metal theft.

The control room also operates a controlled access (concierge) service to high rise blocks of flats.

In the first four months, operators took more than 23,000 intercom calls and reported on more than 1,000 other incidents.

And since April this year, footage from cameras - that cover many public areas as well as Sandwell Homes properties - has helped police make 42 arrests.

The council has also funded five 3G mobile cameras for use in hot spots.

Safe Places

Over 800 shops and community venues in Sandwell are now part of the Safe Places scheme.

This provides people with learning disabilities with a card and safe places to seek help if they become a victim of hate crime, bullying or harassment. Over 1,200 Sandwell people now have a card.

The scheme is run by Changing Our Lives with Sandwell Council, Sandwell Police and Sandwell Primary Care Trust and funding support from the Safer Sandwell Partnership.

Changing Our Lives launched two short films aimed at people with learning disabilities at The Public in West Bromwich. Equal Voices is about autism.

The other, Community Safety, features Sandwell Police and aims to improve awareness of safety for people with learning disabilities. 

Go to next page of the Safer Annual Review 2011

Return to Safer Annual Review 2011 home page