News & Insights
Guest Article: Community engagement and why we chose a localised approach
Why do we need engagement?
The role of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) is to be the voice of the people and hold the police to account. Elected by the public, their aim is to cut crime and deliver an effective and efficient police service within their police force area.
Community engagement is an essential function in the role of the PCC. Allowing the voice of the public to be heard understanding local issues, as well as supporting the PCC in holding the force to account.
Why a localised approach?
Rural areas make up 95% of the land area for Lincolnshire (ONS Standard Area Measurement for 2011); we have a diverse landscape and diverse communities. Approaches used in the coastal region may not be appropriate to the Lincoln City area and the responses to questions on local issues would almost certainly not be the same. We recognised that in order to reach communities across our county, we needed a versatile approach rather than a “one size fits all”.
How we approached localised engagement
In early 2021 Lincolnshire employed the Safer Together Team made up of 4 coordinators, each responsible for defined areas cross the County, and 1 team leader. The team role is to engage communities in conversation about local experiences and understand what matters at a local level. In addition, the team join community groups and partners, and provide signposting to achieve common goals linked to the Police and Crime Plan.
By engaging communities at a local level;
- we can better understand what matters to them
- what needs of local areas are
- we can understand the County as a whole
- understand how views and issues differ across the county
Targeting an initial wide reach of established groups, the Safer Together Team established relationships with partner agencies and Parish Councils; providing information about Safer Together Team Coordinator roles and how communities could become involved. Undertaking a bespoke approach for each district, the team then focused on engaging community groups whose members have not previously been targeted and were identified as largely seldom heard communities.
Proportionate representation in community consultations, such as our annual survey, and throughout activity undertaken by the Safer Together Team has been essential in making engagement work in Lincolnshire.
So, what is next?
The Safer Together Team are continuing to develop community relationships, engaging with local groups and partners, strengthening our understanding of what it is like to be a resident in Lincolnshire. Throughout 2022 there will be localised engagement opportunities for communities, including fraud and anti-social behaviour surgeries. We are also developing our young person engagement, identifying opportunities for community participation in development of communications, engagement, and services; as well as developing an approach for peer to peer conversations on local issues and available support.
About the author
Lee-Anne Flewers-Andrews
Team Lead, Safer Together Team
Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner
Recruited as Team Lead in late 2020 to the newly established Safer Together Team, I am in the privileged position of being able to lead a fantastic team of 4 coordinators in supporting communities to have a voice. Moving from a quality assurance role in Adult Social Care, I am driven by supporting the development of effective and efficient ways of working that consider all stakeholders. In addition, having previously worked as a Probation Service Officer and Youth Offending Worker in community, prison and court settings, I am passionate about the criminal justice system and the experience of individuals and communities. My current role allows me to combine my work experience, in supporting the Police and Crime Commissioner to hear and act upon the voices of the people of Lincolnshire.