A highly-visible initiative to reduce anti-social behaviour and crime has led to a 31 per cent fall in crime in Dalmuir.

The joint action between West Dunbartonshire Council and Police Scotland included daily interaction with residents to reassure them about the action being carried out across the area, improvements to the environment to deter anti-social behaviour such as clearing undergrowth away, and a number of public meetings and interviews.

CCTV improvements have also been made in the area and additional mobile cameras were used to further reassure residents.

The project began in Dalmuir in January 2013 when consultation with the public highlighted alcohol and drug issues, youth disorder and dog fouling as key issues.

Since then there has been a 31 per cent reduction in all crime in the Dalmuir zone.

The public reassurance team has been involved in a significant number of discussions with local residents and there have been a number of arrests following information from the community.

Councillor David McBride, convener of housing, said: “I’m delighted with the success of this project. It has gone beyond simple patrols to include improved planting and maintenance of the Dalmuir town centre, new stairs at the rear of Ellinger Court, new CCTV systems in the multi-storey blocks and the use of mobile CCTV in areas with resident concerns. We’ve persuaded Network Rail to clear excessive undergrowth around the railway line, tackled drug dealing, acted quickly to reports of graffiti and fly tipping and encouraged more young people into diversionary activities such as the Pulse. This is great partnership working and it has also led to positive results on crime and how safe people now feel.”

Councillor Lawrence O’Neill, vice-convener of housing, said: “We are always looking at ways to improve the wellbeing of our communities, and joint initiatives like this are having a real impact on our residents. It is great to see the council’s Public Reassurance team and the police working so closely together to ensure that the issues which are of most concern to our communities are dealt with swiftly and efficiently.”

@WDCouncil