Crime and disorder
Every three years the Vale of Glamorgan Community Safety Partnership must carry out a crime and disorder audit and develop a strategy to reduce crime and disorder in the area. The audit involves the collection of crime and disorder data and includes wide consultation with the public and other stakeholders. The findings of the Audit then inform the objectives of the three-year Crime and Disorder Strategy.
Section 17 of the act
Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act states: "Without prejudice to any other obligation upon it, it shall be the duty of each authority to exercise its various functions with due regard to the likely effect of the exercise of those functions on and the need to do all that it reasonably can to prevent crime and disorder in its area."
The implications
The implications of section 17 of the act for local authorities can be found in simplified terms in Home Office guidelines: "Section 17 means that each authority should take account of the community safety dimension in all its work. All policies, strategies, plans and budgets will need to be considered from the standpoint of their potential contribution to the reduction of crime and disorder."
So, in practical terms, Section 17 means that all our decisions, policy making, strategic planning and budgets will need to consider and include where possible measures to reduce crime and disorder.