The initiative is designed to improve the quality of life for residents in areas plagued by criminal activity through a three-stage approach
Eighteen months into the borough’s ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ initiative, aimed at tackling organised crime and anti-social behaviour on Grahame Park Estate, Deputy Mayor of London for Crime and Police, Kaya Comer-Schwartz, visited the estate to witness the remarkable progress made so far. During the visit, Comer-Schwartz met with community leaders and local volunteers, and was given a tour of the estate by Inspector Tom Hinson from the Barnet Community Policing Team and Councillor Sara Conway, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Participation.
Grahame Park Estate was among the first sites in the country to pilot the Home Office-sponsored ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ scheme. The initiative is designed to improve the quality of life for residents in areas plagued by criminal activity through a three-stage approach. The first phase, ‘clear,’ involves targeted police activity aimed at disrupting organised crime and other criminality in the area. This phase has been highly effective, resulting in over 300 arrests for a range of offences. As a direct consequence, the estate has seen an 11% reduction in violence against the person, with a 9% decrease in both injury and non-injury cases. This positive trend has continued into the second year of the project.
In addition to the reduction in violent crime, the estate has also witnessed a 33% decrease in anti-social behaviour calls and a 50% reduction in residential and non-residential burglaries. These statistics highlight the significant impact the ‘clear’ phase has had on improving the safety and security of the community.
Following the successful completion of the ‘clear’ phase, the council has been leading efforts to ‘hold’ the gains made. This has involved the active participation of the Community Safety Team, engagement with the community to develop a new ‘brand’ for the initiative – Love Grahame Park Community – and the development of plans to open a community café later this year. The involvement of local residents and workers has been crucial in embedding these changes and fostering community cohesion. Initiatives are currently underway to build stronger relationships among residents, and a panel of community members has been recruited to work with the council over the coming months to award small grants for community improvement projects.
During her visit, Comer-Schwartz met with community leaders, including Bina Omare from the Colindale Communities Trust, and volunteers at ‘The Loop,’ a community re-use hub. She was given a comprehensive tour of the estate by Inspector Hinson and Councillor Conway. Ms Comer-Schwartz expressed her satisfaction with the progress made, stating, “Neighbourhood policing plays a vital role in supporting our communities and ensuring safety, so I was really pleased to see first-hand how the Met have been working in partnership with Barnet Council and Barnet Homes to tackle crime and address community concerns with this targeted local policing approach.”
Inspector Hinson echoed her sentiments, saying, “Across the Met, we are focused on tackling the crimes that matter most to communities, and Clear, Hold, Build is a key tool we’re using to improve neighbourhoods. We’ve made great progress over the past 18 months, but the work doesn’t end here. We’ll continue to work alongside residents and partners to keep crime down and help the community thrive.”
Conway also highlighted the collaborative nature of the initiative, adding, “This has been a total team approach, absolute collaboration. You can’t clear, hold and build a community without the key people in that community and the other stakeholders. We have come on a journey from a point where it was a really bad situation 18 months ago, to something we can all be proud of. I am looking forward to seeing how we can continue to ‘hold’ and ‘build’ here on Grahame Park to achieve further success together.”
The ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ initiative on Grahame Park Estate stands as a testament to the power of collaboration between law enforcement, local government, housing providers, and the community. The significant reductions in crime and anti-social behaviour, coupled with the ongoing efforts to build a cohesive and resilient community, demonstrate the potential for positive change when all stakeholders work together towards a common goal. As the initiative moves forward, the continued partnership and commitment of all involved will be crucial in maintaining and building upon the progress made so far.
