Respect Tzar Visits Town

Residents warmly welcomed the Government Coordinator for Respect, Louise Casey, when she visited the town to local Respect work already underway.

Funding of £175,000 for Blackpool’s drive to promote respect was today confirmed by Louise Casey, the Government Coordinator for Respect, as she visited the area to see some of the local work already underway.

Ms Casey visited the Claremont Community Garden, previously a neglected wasteland, to meet with residents and representatives from various community groups who oversee the garden which was completed in May 2007.  Ms Casey went on to visit the Talbot and Brunswick Wards, one of the most deprived areas of Blackpool, to meet with residents and members of the anti-social behaviour team to hear how several recent problems with anti-social behaviour have been resolved or managed.  Finally, she went on to present four local residents with ‘Respect Certificates of Thanks’ in recognition of their commitment in working with local agencies to tackle anti-social behaviour, at the SureStart Village.  The winners were Julie and Colin Brascombe, Brenda Hodgson and Peter Riley.

Louise Casey shares a laugh with community ambassador Harry Holland

Louise Casey said: "I am very pleased today to confirm that Blackpool will have £175,000 of funding to, not only keep up the action needed to tackle anti-social behaviour but also get to its root causes and stop it happening in the first place.

“Blackpool has already made excellent progress which is why we recently recognised it as one of the government’s flagship Respect Areas.  The new funding includes money to fund parenting programmes and to fund a designated parenting expert to ensure we get to problems in the home before they spill out into the community.”Cllr Tony Williams, Cabinet Member with responsibility for community safety, said:

"We are delighted to welcome Louise Casey to Blackpool and to show her the hard work that has already taken place in the town to reduce anti-social behaviour.

"There are many fantastic and successful projects in the town that have been undertaken and resolved with the help and partnership of local residents.  Being named as a Respect Area gives us an even more determined focus to continue to drive this forward and build on those partnerships.

"We will show Ms Casey regeneration projects in the town as well as introducing her to members of the community who have taken an extemporary stand against anti-social behaviour to improve their local area."

Louise Casey is pictured with members of Blackpool Council and BSafe Blackpool, along with members of the community

In January 2007, Blackpool was named as one of forty Respect Areas across the country that have earned the right to be an exemplar of the Respect programme through its strong track record in tackling anti-social behaviour and the willingness and capacity to do more.

This is the first visit by Louise Casey since it was announced that Blackpool was to become a Respect Area.   Ms Casey is also meeting the new anti-social behaviour team.