Moyle Community Safety Partnership

Moyle Community Safety Partnership

Evaluation Report

On the

Action Plan 2006 – 08

Produced March 2008

Contents

Summary / 3
Introduction / 6
Review of Secondary Research and Documents
Community Safety Audit / 7
DPP Report on Consultation / 9
CSP Strategy / 12
Action Plan Content / 14
Evaluation Methodology / 18
Monitoring & Evaluation Review / 21
Consultation / 46
Summary & Conclusions / 50
Recommendations / 51
Appendices / 52

Summary

Context

Moyle Community Safety Partnership was formed (in September 2003) in response to the review of the Criminal Justice System in N. Ireland. The partnership produced a strategic approach aimed at “making Moyle a healthy, inclusive, prosperous and safe environment for all those who reside, work and visit the District”. This Strategy was supported by a practical Action Plan working to address the identified Community Safety priorities for the district.

Subsequently support was provided to a number of specific projects and it is now deemed prudent to fully evaluate these projects and the overall Action Plan (06 -08) to;

Understand what worked well and what worked less well
To empower the partnership to make evidence based decisions
To demonstrate visible and constructive accountability to the local community

Following the commission to undertake this evaluation a structured methodology was presented to the MCSP members at their monthly meeting in February 2008.

Consequently, to address each of the 3 requirements, MCSP have chosen to take this opportunity not only to carry out an evaluation as prescribed by the NIO but also to consult on the future recommendations for the work of the CSP.

Methodology

The evaluation was completed in a number of phases which involved

A document review and analysis of published statistical reports
Review of available programme Monitoring & Evaluation reports
Structured interviews with project promoters
Postal survey of business sector
Focus groups with elderly and youth groups

In compiling the consultation on future strategic direction, additional material was available from the CSP, DPP and PSNI to inform the report.

Performance

The MCSP action plan was supported by a budget of £65,000 over two years plus an additional £147,000 from the Community Challenge fund and this facilitated the funding of the following

Moyle CSP projects included

11 Original Action Plan projects
4 additional projects
4 Reactionary projects
2 Community Challenge projects
(4 regional programme involvements)

The 15 core action plan projects budget of £65,000 was able to attract matched funding of approximately £57,000 or 81% leverage.

Overall the projects mostly achieved targets with the majority rated as either Very Successful or Successful and only 3 projects failing by more than 50% and therefore deemed Unsuccessful (NB 12 projects fully completed or exceeded their target output performance).

Qualitative issues

The following issues or lessons learnt were raised by participants during the evaluation interview process.

There was an excess of small projects.
The level of partnership contributed significantly to project success
Creativity and Innovation in problem solving benefited the successful projects.
Projects based solely on awareness raising and message promotion lacked dynamism.
There has been substantialoverlap of consultationexercises on crime in the Moyle area.
Some of the project targets were ambitious and beyond the capabilities of the promoters.
There was very little public awareness of the CSP or its role
Not only is the rural nature of the Moyle district a relevant issue but equally there are 3 distinct larger communities in Ballycastle, Bushmills and Cushendall
The CSP has been very useful in raising community confidence in the PSNI
The Partnerships key strength is its interagency approach to problem solving and this should be its primary role for the future

Consultation results

It was broadly agreed that Moyle is a comparatively safe place to live and that major criminality is not an issue. However there was an expression of concern on some common issues which are more than a nuisance and would be a priority for any future CSP strategy.

In no priority order these are: -

Car nuisance, speed and careless driving
Alcohol related anti social behaviour and vandalism
Drug and alcohol abuse by younger people
Burglary or fear of it
Anti social behaviour in public places involving young people

It is therefore clear that the activities for Moyle CSP and their original strategy plan are still relevant and appropriate. In particular some of the projects included in the programme in its later development and timeframe, were precisely needed. For example the Safety in Pubs scheme, the Brighter Nights campaign, the recent PSNI Furious Driving campaign and the various youth diversionary projects.

Recommendations

Moyle Community Safety Partnership has provided an appropriate programme for its community safety needs and although much has been achieved, the same problems have still to be fully resolved and therefore the same strategic priorities should remain.

However a number of recommendations are offered as potential improvements to the delivery structure.

1. The partnership’s role is not to be confused with the DPP monitoring role. The CSP is an interagency problem solving committee, with collective experience and resources which needs to find innovative solutions to the community safety problems of the entire district.

2. The programme is most efficient when it includes more partners in individual projects and seeks to put in place practical innovative and participative activities rather than promotional campaigns.

3. The programme will attract more matched funding and bring more administrative efficiencies if it focuses on larger projects and programmes and less on the smaller schemes.

Introduction

Moyle Community Safety Partnership was formed (in September 2003) in response to the review of the Criminal Justice System in N. Ireland (2000), which produced the Community Safety Strategy ‘Creating a Safer Northern Ireland Through Partnership’ in March 2003, and set out the framework for subsequent locally developed strategies. Having fully reviewed the community safety issues across Moyle Borough and consulted with partner agencies and the community, the partnership subsequently produced a strategic approach aimed at “making Moyle a healthy, inclusive, prosperous and safe environment for all those who reside, work and visit the District”. This Strategy identified the local priorities for inclusionin a practical Action Plan and supported a number of specific projects.

It is now deemed prudent to fully evaluate these projects and the overall Action Plan (06 -08).

Review of Available Secondary Research and documentation

Community Safety Audit

Context

The Community Safety Audit, produced by the Community Safety Co-ordinator, was a key document which informed the strategic priorities for Moyle Community Safety Partnership. It provided extensive and informative statistics and analysis, on all aspects of crime and community attitudes to crime and was supported by an independent survey and analysis of schools, businesses and the local community. (Moyle CSP and Millward Brown Ulster Feb 2005). Key elements of this report included; -

Moyle is the smallest council Area in Northern Ireland with a population of 15,933 (census 2001)
60% of the population are from a Catholic background and 38% from a protestant or other Christian background
Moyle is ranked as the 5th most deprived Local Government Area in N.Ireland (as per Noble Deprivation Indices) with the most deprived areas being Glentaisie, Bushmills, Armoy and Knocklayde.
There are 911 properties in eleven housing estates managed by the NIHE, and homeless levels are low. 80% of all housing is privately owned
There are 4 post primary schools in the district and NEELB have 24 registered youth groups with approximately 1500 members.
40% of the population between 16 and 74 are economically inactive, 40% in full time or part time employment, 13% self employment and 5% unemployed.
Moyle is largely rural in nature, covering 190 square miles and 40 miles of coastline, it is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a further number of Areas of Special Scientific Interest.
Most notable to the tourist industry is the Giants Causeway and Lammas Fair which annually attract approximately 450,000 and 250,000 respectively.
Moyle has a well-established hospitality industry, comprising hotels, guesthouses, B and Bs, youth hostels, bars, restaurants, cafes and fast food takeaways.
Other businesses that contribute to the night-time economy include ice cream parlours, taxi firms, an Amusement Arcade, off-licenses, garages, supermarkets and small grocery stores.

Crime statistics (2002/03) at the initiation of the Strategic Action Plan

The overall rate of crime in Moyle is lower than the N. Ireland average and the area is considered a safe place to live, with 63incidents per 1,000 of population in 02/03 (NI average was 84) However types of crime which were prevalent include vehicle crime, violence against the person, domestic burglary,anti social behaviour, criminal damage and vandalism (particularly in the area near the sea front).

Vandalism costs in an around the seafront area can be high and life saving equipment is often damaged or stolen along the entire coast.
Crime incidents typically peak in the summer months (particularly August and the staging of the Lammas fair)
Bonamargy & Rathlin, Glentaisie and Bushmills are the wards with the highest level of recorded crime, and the only areas with levels above the N.Ireland average
Fraud and forgery crimes are higher than the NI average during the period of the Lammas fair, reflecting the seizures of counterfeit goods.
Many recorded incidents are strongly linked to the night time economy and the Ballycastle and Bushmills pub culture.
Statistics on domestic violence are typically under reported but the Causeway Womens’s Aid suggest that the problem is substantial throughout Moyle District
NI Fire and Rescue service recoded 399 arson related incidents in Moyle in 2003 (76% of which were classified as small).

Recorded incidents of Crime 2002/03 to 2006/07

Offence Type / 2002/03 / 2003/04 / 2004/05 / 2005/06 / 2006/07 / % Change (2002/03 to 2006/07)
Offences against the person / 227 / 219 / 215 / - 5.2%
Sexual Offences / 13 / 22 / 11 / - 15.4%
Burglary / 173 / 79 / 104 / -39.8%
Domestic Burglary / 81 / 26 / 43 / - 45.8%
Robbery / 3 / 3 / 5 / + 66.6%
Theft / 218 / 151 / 125 / - 42.7%
From Motor vehicle / 33 / 10 / 21 / - 36.4%
Taking of motor vehicles / 48 / 19 / 11 / - 77.1%
Fraud & Forgery / 71 / 37 / 23 / - 67.6%
Criminal Damage / 274 / 404 / 364 / + 32.8%
Offences against the state / 3 / 5 / 7 / + 133%
Other / 32 / 34
Drug Trafficking / 0 / 1 / 2 / + 2
Drug non Trafficking / 7 / 16 / 11 / - 57.1%
Violent Crime / 212 / 244 / 231 / + 8.9%
Total / 989 / 1005 / 821 / 952 / 888 / - 10.2%

Over the period 2003 – 2007 recorded crime rates have decreased in many areas of N. Ireland and while recorded incidents in Moyle havechanged marginally over the same period residents and visitors are much less likely to be a victim of crime in Moyle than in many other areas of N. Ireland.

District Policing Partnership, Report on Public Consultation – Sept 07

More recent (i.e. 2005/06/07)information on crime in the Moyle area is available from the District Policing Partnership (DPP) and the PSNI Crime Statistics

In order to find out what local people think about policing in Moyle the DPP are obliged to consult with the community to ensure that there is a mix of quantitative and qualitative information from a range of sources. i.e. -

Primary consultations – this consists of a randomly distributed questionnaire survey sent out to households in the District and is undertaken by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) on behalf of the DPP. This survey is repeated every two years, with the next survey planned for May 2008. This provides a useful resource to the Community Safety Partnership.

Secondary consultations – consisted of further quantitative and qualitative research undertaken by the research staff at Kilcranny House in Coleraine. This focussed on the evening economy given that the majority of volume crime, in Moyle, is committed during the evening especially at the weekends.

Local Consultations – these are ‘ongoing’ throughout the year and generally consist of meetings in public, themed meetings, informal engagements with local groups and accounts of the Members’ own experiences resulting from encounters within their personal networks.

Given the extent of this consultation and data collection, it would suggest that there is some duplication of effort and resources in attempting to identify and collate information on crime in a small district such as Moyle, where it is generally agreed that crime levels are lower than average.

Key information from this report confirmed a further reduction in overall crime levels in most categories with notable exceptions such as Domestic Burglary , Robbery, and Theft from Vehicles.

Crime Classes / Recorded
Apr 05 –
Mar 06 / Recorded
Apr 06 –
Mar 07 / % Change
1. Offences against the person
2. Sexual Offences
3. Burglary
(Domestic Burglary)
4. Robbery
5. Theft
(Theft from vehicles)
(Theft/unauthorized taking of vehicle)
6. Fraud and Forgery
7. Criminal Damage
8. Offences against the state
9. Other notable offences
Violent Crime (1,2 & 4)
Total Crime / 219
22
79
26
3
151
10
19
37
404
5
32
244
952 / 215
11
104
43
5
125
21
11
23
364
7
34
231
888 / -1.8%
-50 %
31.6%
65.4%
66.7%
-17.2%
110%
-42.1%
-37.8%
-9.9%
40%
6.3%
-5.3%
-6.7%

NISRA Community Survey (2006)

Biggest concerns/problems in the area

Biggest problem: / Mentioned
by: / Especially of concern to: **
Speeding / 51% / Females and people in Ballycastle sector
Dangerous/careless driving / 51% / Females in the 41-60 age group and people in Ballycastle sector
Vandalism / 51% / All groups
Underage Drinking / 46% / All groups
Young people causing a nuisance / 37% / Females and by most groups over the age of 25
Flags and Emblems / 33% / 41 – 60 age group
Drug use/abuse / 28% / 41 – 60 age group
Drug Dealing / 28% / 41 – 60 age group
Public Drunkenness / 24% / 41 – 60 age group

Key observations (from the DPP report):

Respondents in 2005 highlighted speeding, underage drinking, vandalism (e.g. graffiti), young people causing a nuisance, domestic burglary and drug dealing/misuse as being the biggest problems in the district. Since then, referring to the 2006 figures, speeding - including dangerous and careless driving - continues to be a major concern to local people as well as vandalism/criminal damage and young people causing a nuisance. Flags and emblems had become more of a concern to respondents that year than in previous years. Domestic burglary has become less of a concern year on year.

Conversely – across Northern Ireland – the biggest concerns to respondents were underage drinking and domestic burglary followed by vandalism and young people causing a nuisance. Speeding and dangerous driving are also amongst the biggest concerns that people have throughout NI. This is broadly similar to the problems/issues identified across NI in the 2004 NISRA survey.

Kilcranny House consultation report on the Moyle Night Time economy

The night time economy of Cushendall and Ballycastle is very vibrant at weekends but less so during the rest of the week. Bushmills residents said that the night time economy revolved around the bars and restaurants with limited other forms of evening entertainment.

Participant in the consultation concurred with the belief that crime levels in the district are low but there was a significant correlation between crime and the night time economy and alcohol related crime. Those consulted ranked the following criminal activities for Moyle district.

Underage drinking
Assaults
Drug Dealing
Speeding/Nuisance and careless driving
Criminal Damage/vandalism
Public Drunkenness
Drink Driving

The figures and comment above have helped inform and guide the CSP Strategy and Action Plan. The available information indicated that the community feel that Moyle is a relatively safe place to live with the highest concerns related more to anti social behaviour rather than a criminality.

Community Safety Partnership Strategy 2005 - 2008

Published in June 2005 following approval by the Community Safety Unit of the Northern Ireland Office , this document detailed the Moyle CSP approach to delivering Community Safety in their area based on the regional priorities for N. Ireland as a whole i.e. : -

Car Crime
Domestic Burglary
Business and Retail Crime
Offences against individuals, particularly domestic violence and sexual assault
Youth offending and reducing criminality
Offences motivated by prejudice and hatred
Drug, substance and alcohol abuse
Anti-social behaviour and low-level neighbourhood disorder
Fear of crime amongst older people, vulnerable adults, victims and children.

At a local level, these were further prioritised to reflect local consultation outcomes.

Key geographic areas for action included those areas with a combination of higher deprivation levels and higher than average crime levels i.e. Glentaisaie, Knocklayde and Bushmills plus the sea front area (within Bonamargy & Rathlin wards).

Key Offences included common/ aggravated assault, criminal damage, burglary, vandalism and general anti-social behaviour with particular reference to Alcohol abuse.

Key target groups included the elderly, youth and business (particularly licensed premises)

This prioritisation was used to allocate the Action Plan budget.

Priority for Moyle
Car Crime / Low
Domestic Burglary / Medium
Business and Retail Crime / Low
Offences against individuals, particularly domestic violence and sexual assault / High
Youth offending and reducing criminality / High
Offences motivated by prejudice and hatred / Medium
Drug, substance and alcohol abuse / High
Anti-social behaviour and low-level neighbourhood disorder / High
Fear of crime amongst older people, vulnerable adults, victims and children / High

Total available funding was divided on an annual basis across the issues relevant to the regional strategy and the priority rating from the local strategy development process

Task Group / Budget Allocation 06/07 / Budget Allocation 07/08
1 / Drug & Alcohol related violence / £6,240 / £7,540
2 / Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault / £3,360 / £4,060
3 / Youth Offending, Anti Social behaviour / £4,800 / £5,800
4 / Fear of Crime / £2,160 / £2,610
5 / Domestic Burglary /Car Crime / £4,080 / £4,930
6 / Hate Crime / £3,360 / £4,060
Rapid Response grants / £2,000 / £2,000
Small Grant scheme / £4,000 / £4,000
Total / £30,000 / £35,000

A robust assessment process and criteria was developed for the selection of projects based on the submissions relevance to both regional and local strategies and the capabilities of the project promoters. This process subsequently facilitated the list of projects included in the formal CSP Action Plan.