Introduction
The Ballymena Community Safety Partnership is tackling major issues such as drugs, anti-social behaviour, domestic burglary and retail crime. The Partnership includes representatives from a broad range of statutory, voluntary/private and community organizations, who have come together with the main aim of taking a strategic approach to community safety in the Borough of Ballymena.

List of Members

Ballymena Borough Council, Police Service of Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Housing Executive, NEELB Youth Service, Ballymena Strategy Partnership, Investing for Health, Women's Aid, Victim Support, Ballymena Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Help the Aged, Translink, Ballymena Community Forum, Northern Ireland Tenants Action Project, Ballymena Inter-Church Group, Ballymena Citizen's Advice Bureau

Audit Information
A local community safety audit has found that Ballymena is generally a safe place to live (in comparison with some other local authority areas in Northern Ireland. However, it has highlighted crime hotspots and issues of concern in the local area. The top five crimes in Ballymena Borough are burglary of a dwelling, burglary of a non-dwelling, shoplifting, deception and drug offences.7 of the 24 wards have high rates of recorded crime (compared to NI averages). They are Castle Demesne, Fair Green, Harryville, Moat, Dunclug, Ballee, and Park. Some wards also feature Enumeration Districts that have rates of recorded crime which are very high (eg Castle Demesne featured shoplifting at 22 times the Northern Ireland rate; Fair Green featured drug offences at 23 times the Northern Ireland rate).

Strategy
Ballymena Community Safety Partnership is currently finalizing a draft community safety strategy which will direct the course of community safety activity in the Borough over the course of the next three years. The strategy prioritizes the key crime areas in Ballymena Borough for action and calls for true partnership working to ensure a safer quality of life for everyone. The strategy vision is of a drug-free, prejudice-free environment where the community is empowered and working in partnership with all the relevant agencies. The ideal is for a safer place to live and play for everyone.

Current Projects

Holistic Drug Treatment Programme – aimed at increasing the self-esteem of ex-drug abusers and helping them back into education, training and employment.

Radio Link – involves the provision of two-way radios to retailers in the town so they can inform each other of potential problems.

Mobile Creative Arts Project – encourages positive behaviour among young people thus reducing the risk of anti-social behaviour.

Ballee Youth Diversionary Project – encourages young people to make a positive contribution to the development of their community through participation in creative and sporting activities.

PR Roadshow – aims to increase security and reduce the fear of crime in the homes of vulnerable people.

Dunclug Security Project – aims to meet the issue of increasing fear among local residents who feel insecure in their homes due to burglaries and muggings.

Volunteering Project – aims to promote active citizenship among young people.

Parents and Kids Together – a family-led initiative which adopts a holistic and integrated approach towards the needs of families.

Contact Details
www.ballymena.gov.uk  For further information please contact Karen Moore,
Community Safety Coordinator on 2563 3941.