Crime Reduction - Helping to Reduce Crime in Your Area

Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 states that all relevant authorities – which includes town and parish councils – have a duty to consider the impact of all their functions and decisions on crime and disorder in their local area. What does this mean in practice for town and parish councils? This guide has been produced to answer that question.

Title: Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 - a practical guide for parish and town councils
Authors: Mark Dean & Susan Doran
Series: Nacro Crime & Social Policy
Date published: June 2002
Number of pages: 25

The duties introduced by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 affect all town and parish councils, whatever their size or location. The Act introduces a partnership approach to local crime reduction; town and parish councils should be partners in that process. The Act also imposes certain duties on town and parish councils to consider crime and disorder reduction in everything they do. It is therefore important that all clerks and local councillors have an understanding of the key parts of the Act that affect them.

Research carried out for the Countryside Agency has indicated that town and parish councils are having difficulty understanding the principles behind the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, in particular the principles behind Section 17. This guide, produced by the Countryside Agency and Nacro, is intended to set the scene in terms of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, and in particular examine Sections 5(2) and 17 of the Act and how they affect town and parish councils. It will seek to give practical examples of how town and parish councils can play a full and active part in local problem-solving. It will also seek to unravel the mystery behind Section 17 of the Act for town and parish councils and give practical solutions to ensure that Section 17 is complied with.

Key Points

• Parish and town councils have a duty to consider the impact of all their functions and decisions on crime and disorder in their local area, under Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

• Parish and town councils should review how they exercise their powers and deliver their services, in order to comply with Section 17.

• As the most 'grassroots' level of government, parish and town councils are in an ideal position to represent the views of their communities and ensure that local crime reduction strategies represent those views.

• Parish and town councils should be fully involved in their local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (led by the district authority and police force).

• The most effective way to reduce crime at a local level is by following an evidence-based, problem-solving approach.

• Parish and town councils can pay for crime and disorder reduction by using their precept for funds, Parish Plan Grants and payments from developers under the Town and Country Planning Act, Section 106.

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