COUNCILLORS have promised to try to cut crime.
Kirklees Council has agreed with the Government to work to try to bring down the number of assaults and reduce re-offending rates among hardened criminals.
Other priorities of the council announced yesterday include getting more young people into training, education and work, having cleaner streets and reducing carbon emissions.
The targets are set out in a Local Area Agreement between Kirklees, the Government and police.
Council leader Clr Robert Light said: “For the first time, instead of having to adopt a one-size-fits-all approach, local services are now able to set targets that are based specifically on the needs of their local communities.
“The aim is for residents in Kirklees to feel safe and satisfied in their local community.
“These targets can only be reached by improving health and wellbeing, community safety, educational attainment and economic prosperity and creating communities where residents thrive and prosper.
“This will be accomplished by working closely with our partners and building on the successes we have already achieved.”
Rosie Winterton, the Government’s minister for Yorkshire, welcomed the agreement.
She said: “This is a tremendous opportunity for Kirklees and its partner organisations, working with the Government, to make a positive difference to the lives of residents.
“Councils and their partners are in the best position to judge the priorities and needs of their individual areas and communities and really make them relevant.”
The Government’s Communities and Local Government Secretary, Hazel Blears, said: “The prizes are enormous; better, more locally relevant public services, a higher quality of life and, ultimately, more prosperity in communities across the country.
“If knowledge is power, then this is more power to local people.
“They will be able to see exactly what local government and service providers plan to do in their area, check out how well they are doing, and ask questions if they have not delivered.
“This means less red tape and more freedom for councils to deliver what local people want.”
Independent auditors will track the progress of the three-year plan.
Visit: www.kirkleespartnership.org
