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Safety Net Journal Issue 2 |
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Westminster Council wins award for action on retail violence
By Doug Russell
At the annual conference on H&S enforcement by local authorities in December 2005, Westminster City Council won the HSC award for innovation with its project on violence to retail staff.
The annual conference this year was organised by LACORS (the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services) and the HSE. The award was given for Westminster's 'CivicWatch Business' project in which H&S enforcement staff from their Environmental Health department and Crime Prevention Officers from the Police made joint visits to retail and licensed businesses to advise on protection against violence and crime.
Since the launch of the Freedom from Fear campaign Usdaw has been urging local authorities to adopt a joined-up approach bringing together their responsibilities for H&S enforcement and for wider community safety under crime and disorder laws.
The Union is committed to working with local authorities to raise the profile of H&S enforcement and to help to build safer communities for our members and the customers who use their shops. Usdaw will be supporting the continuation of the Westminster project.
Other local initiatives include links with Bath and North East Somerset Council, secondment of an Usdaw rep to a safer-shopping partnership in South Wales, work with Bury MBC and with the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Executive. In addition North Eastern Division is organising a series of seminars with the North East Retail Crime Partnership.
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