<FONT color=black>SEMINAR TACKLES COMMUNITY SAFETY

<FONT color=black>More than 200 delegates involved in initiatives to reduce crime in the county attended a major conference o­n Community Safety yesterday (2 July).

<FONT color=black>At the River Centre in Tonbridge, the conference both celebrated the achievements of the last five years and looked ahead at identifying the priorities for tackling anti-social behaviour in the future. The seminar also looked at the community safety issues linked with the huge projected expansion of homes in Kent in the next 20 years, particularly in Ashford and North West Kent.

<FONT color=black>The day was organised by Kent County Council, Kent Police and Kent Fire and Rescue Service.

<FONT color=black>Opening the conference, County Council Leader Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart told delegates that o­ne of the Council's highest priorities is to work with the Police and the Fire Service to ensure Kent people feel safe, both inside their homes and in their neighbourhoods.

<FONT color=black>He said: 'I wholeheartedly congratulate the work of Police, Fire and the Districts in working to make Kent a safe place. KCC has built o­n the success of our Community Warden Scheme and will have a total of 100 wardens deployed in both rural and urban fringes within the next year. Our Trading Standards department has been very successful in addressing stolen goods, bogus and rogue trading incidents. The Handyvan schemes have already installed more than 5000 security kits and smoke alarms in the homes of vulnerable elderly people and the number of vans is set to double to 12 over the next two to three years.

<FONT color=black>'Taking into consideration all our other day-to-day work that impacts o­n community safety, we estimate that KCC's overall contribution to safety in Kent is in excess of £20 million a year. We have now, together with our partners, set a new and challenging target to work to reduce anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime. This is not easy but we are determined to make Kent a safer place.'

<FONT color=black>Chief Constable Mike Fuller said: 'This conference is a clear example of the willingness and commitment of different agencies to work together in order to reduce crime, tackle anti-social behaviour and address the public's fear of crime. This partnership approach can o­nly serve to improve the quality of life for residents and visitors to our county.'

<FONT color=black>Chief Executive and Chief Fire Officer, Kent Fire and Rescue Service, Peter Coombs, who chaired the event said: "We are pleased to be working with partners such as Kent County Council and Kent Police in order to positively affect the lives of the people of Kent.

<FONT color=black>'There is a clear link between anti-social behaviour and deliberate fire setting and o­ne of our key priorities is to continue working with partners to reduce this problem."

<FONT color=black>Deputy Director of the Anti-social Behaviour Unit, Home Office, Joe Tuke also gave a presentation o­n the government's Together programme for dealing with anti-social behaviour.