Reducing Re-offending Beacon Award
The Beacon Award for the category of Reducing Re-offending reflects the council’s significant work in reducing crime through the Be Safe partnership, which includes Greater Manchester Police and the Probation Service. The partnership has achieved a 35 per cent reduction in reported crime since 2003-4.
The Awards were initiated in 1999 to reward excellence in local government, enabling best practice to be shared with others. Beacon Status is awarded, by the Improvement and Development Agency, to authorities that demonstrate a clear vision, excellent services and a willingness to innovate in the themes for which they are nominated. The Beacon awards recognise excellence and innovation in local government across 10 themes, which are identified as key to improving the quality of life for local communities.
Communities and Local Government Minister, Parmjit Dhanda, presented the awards at last night’s (Tuesday) Oscar-style award ceremony at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London.
Chair of Be Safe, Dave Lea collecting the award from Parmjit Dhanda with John Brimley, District Manager for Probation and Nick Maher, Bolton Council Community Safety Manager
Commenting on the awards he said, “I would like to congratulate Bolton for being awarded Beacon Status in Reducing Re-offending. This authority is leading the way in their use of new ideas and methods, and is ideally placed to drive change throughout the sector, helping to improve public services for everyone”. “The most important product of the Beacons is the real improvements to everyday public services that can be seen in the remit of every one of the winning authorities, and the sharing of new ideas and best practice that the Beacons promote will lead to improvement across the board.”
Marianne Hood, chair of the Beacons Panel added: “Being awarded Beacon Status means that Bolton will receive recognition, from central government and other authorities, for its expertise in the provision of these areas. I will be closely following the work that the Beacon authorities carry out over the next year, and look forward to working with them in this area.”
Bolton Council’s Executive Member for Cleaner, Greener, Safer Councillor Elaine Sherrington said she was delighted that the council and its partners had again won Beacon status recognition for their work. “This award comes a year after we were awarded Beacon status for Reducing Anti-Social Behaviour and speaks volumes for the quality of the work being done by the local authority and partner staff, for which Bolton is now receiving national recognition.
“Beacon Awards are not given lightly and there is strong competition among local authorities to win Beacon status. These are extremely prestigious awards and simply being short-listed is looked on as a success. I would like to congratulate everyone concerned,” she added.
Team Beacon: Left to right Dave Bagley (Urban Outreach), Dan Swain (Bolton Council), Steve Taylor (HMP Forest Bank), Dave Lea (Chair of Be Safe), Cllr Elaine Sherrington (Executive Member for Cleaner, Safer Greener), Matthew Emerson (Bolton Council), Dave Flitcroft, Bolton Council), Nick Maher (Bolton Council), Dave Hashdi (Bolton Council), John Brimley (Greater Manchester Probation), Kevin Lister (Greater Manchester Police).
More Information
For more information on our Reducing Re-offending Beacon submission and how we plan to disseminate Bolton 's good practice please contact Matthew Emerson on 01204 338427 or email: matthew.emerson@bolton.gov.uk