A plan to prevent and reduce serious violence in the Merseyside region will be launched today by a coalition of organisations. The Merseyside Serious Violence Duty Strategy has been created to help agencies collaborate more closely and continue the downward trend of serious violence in the region. The strategy will focus on prevention, aiming to understand the factors that trigger violence and to act to stop it from happening before it starts.
The plan is overseen by the region’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Emily Spurrell. Merseyside Police, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, the five local councils, NHS Merseyside and Cheshire, and prisons and probation services will all work together to prevent serious violence. The 68-page strategy was drafted after extensive consultation in 2023, and it sets out eight core principles to reduce violence, with a focus on community cohesion.
Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, Neighbourhoods and Streetscene, Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins, said the launch of the plan was part of the city’s commitment to redouble its efforts to tackle the problem. Liverpool spoken word artist and poet Joseph Roberts will help to bring the new strategy to life at today’s launch, which will take place at the Cotton Exchange in Liverpool.
According to statistics released last week, serious violence on Merseyside has decreased by 8% in the past year. Knife crime is down by 18.6%, and gun crime is at the lowest level since records began 22 years ago. Despite these reductions, a real focus on community cohesion is needed to empower residents to become involved in addressing and solving the issues that matter to them. The strategy will be reviewed annually to ensure that it is responsive to local needs
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