Cookies information

exeter.gov.uk uses cookies to make the site simpler. Find out more about the cookies we use.

Close banner

Easter bin collections

All bin collections following a bank holiday will now take place one day late from 29 March to 6 April. See our Easter Bin Collection page for further details.

Online and telephone payments

Due to a fault, our online and telephone payment services are currently unavailable. We apologise for any inconvenience caused while our service provider works to fix the problem.

Exeter Safer Streets Projects

Current Exeter Safer Streets Projects

 

 

Closed circuit television improvements

Work led by: Exeter City Council

Expected completion: September 2023

A BIG chunk of the funding Exeter has received for safer Streets is being spent on state of the art closed circuit television cameras, which help keep the city centre safe for all.

So we thought it would be interesting to let you know a bit more about the equipment being used and why it is so good.

This round of funding from the Home Office will result in Exeter city council installing an additional 39 high resolution cameras.

The locations for the new cameras around the City centre means there will be a significant increase in overall coverage of areas where women have indicated feeling vulnerable in the past.

Two types of camera are being installed, both offering excellent functionality and performance.

They have been chosen for their analytical capability when “achieving best evidence” for police and court requirements which means that should something happen which results in someone being charged and taken to court the camera evidence will help in gaining a conviction.

The Hanwha Techwin PNM-7322-VQP, which are locally known as BOB, offers 2mp @ 60 frames per second ensuring that when an offence has been committed operators are quickly and easily able to capture an easily identifiable image of the offender.

This is then passed on to the police.

The cameras also allow operators to help in the search for people that are vulnerable or missing far quicker than ever before.

Additionally a new 360 Vision Invictus camera has been added. This is a camera which allows controllers to rotate move offering 100% coverage of large areas of the city centre.

This camera was chosen for its ability to light an area from above, so in, instantly re-assuring those when vulnerable or letting those up to no-good know that they are being monitored - even in poorly lit areas.

These new and many replacement installations mean Exeter’s CCTV camera portfolio will increase to over 200 individual camera’s by summer 2023.

So let’s spread the word that Exeter’s night time economy is not only thriving but can be enjoyed by everyone safely, without fear.

 

Street lighting improvements

Work led by: Devon County Council

Expected completion: September 2023

A review of city lighting identified some dark areas which have become crime hotspots or areas that make people feel unsafe and where it was felt that improvement is required.

In these locations the plan is to improve existing street lights and to add additional light columns to remove dark areas.

Better lighting can have a positive impact tackling the acquisitive crimes and wider public safety.

Devon County Council Street lighting engineers will design and implement a new lighting scheme which will then be adopted into their network for all future maintenance and repair.

It will use the latest, most efficient LED technology to lower the carbon footprint and use passive infrared or other motion activated

technology where appropriate to balance security against excessive light pollution.

 

Safe Space

Work led by: InExeter

Expected completion: March 2023

Numerous surveys carried out in Exeter have identified a need for a safe space where victims of crime or those vulnerable who may become a victim of crime, can be supported.

Exeter’s Safe Space will be equipped and supported by trained volunteers. The facility will ensure victims, or those feeling particularly vulnerable and needed professional support, can do so in a safe space.

The project is being informed from similar existing schemes in Leeds and Chelmsford.

Facilities will include:

  • Mobile phone charging
  • Water/refreshments/warm drinks
  • Support calling a taxi
  • Space to wait for a night bus
  • Somewhere to talk through concerns
  • Signposting for further support
  • Incident reporting i.e. the police
  • Somewhere warm to wait for friends/not be alone

The safe space will operate from Thursday to Saturday from 10pm to 4am and will complement and support the work undertaken at St Mary Arches, United Limited Church. 

 

Bystander intervention and Train the trainer

Work led by: Exeter University

Expected completion: May 2023

A bystander programme for the prevention of street harassment with a focus on violence against women and girls (VAWG) will be developed and tailored specifically for the city.

The programme aims to improve people’s confidence, willingness, and ability to intervene in issues relating to VAWG.

Expert facilitators will deliver a two-day train the trainer module with the goal of further delivery to 120 people in statutory agencies, 120 people working in the night-time economy, 120 people in the general community, with a specific emphasis on recruiting men.

There will also be a city-wide marketing campaign a to change norms around street harassment and VAWG.

 

Schools educational toolkit

Work led by: Exeter University

Expected completion: July 2023

An educational toolkit will be produced that that aims to change attitudes towards street harassment.

It will be targeted at children of primary and secondary school pupils.

In primary schools it will focus on changing attitudes because we know disrespect and aggressive behaviour is embedded early.

At secondary schools it aims to prevent street harassment.

It will be coordinated through the Exeter Education Alliance (E3), a collective of education providers in the City of Exeter (including the University, College, Ted Wragg Trust and Exeter Learning Academy Trust and others).

The toolkit will be developed with expertise from the University’s Graduate School of Education and colleagues in the College of Medicine and Health, and we will work closely with the Ted Wragg Multi Academy Trust as the main provider of primary/secondary and others in the Exeter Education Alliance to affect its roll out.

 

Best Bar None

Work led by: Best Bar None

Expected completion: September 2023

Best Bar None Exeter is an independent award for excellence and a way of showing guests who visit venues which display a Best Bar None logo meet a higher than normal standard and that they are committed to providing support, safety and security to guests of Exeter’s hospitality sector.

In particular they:

  • Have an Ask for Angela scheme in place
  • Have policy and training on how to help vulnerable people
  • Have displayed a higher duty of care than the legal requirement
  • Have agreed to be checked across the year by an independent assessor.

We will produce materials, marketing and communications of the scheme, wider PR, and profiling and in the main assessor fees.

 

Safety of Women at Night (SWaN) Charter

Work led by: Exeter Community Safety Partnership

Expected completion: September 2023

We will produce an awareness raising video for those who work in the night-time economy highlighting behaviours which may be of concern, and what action to take. This builds on in-person events that were delivered as part of the SWaN funding, sustaining this work.

Awareness and marketing of the Safety Charter and Best Bar None Scheme will have continued focus following their creation, development, and promotion, as part of the Safety of Women at Night (SWaN) fund project.

It is essential that awareness of the Safety Charter is maintained so it becomes rooted in the community. This will be achieved through social media awareness campaigns.

To reach a wider audience, we will produce a printed version of the Charter, translate it into foreign languages and other alternative formats such as ‘easy read’ to access information.

We will also hold a refresh event for local businesses via our partners In Exeter. While the Charter materials are all digital, we are conscious of digital poverty and therefore have assigned £5k to produce hard copy materials.

 

Being a good neighbour

Work led by: Exeter University

Expected completion: August 2023

Each year approximately 7,000 students move  into the city as they move from the first to  second year.

Additionally, a further 7,000 second years remain in the city as they become final year students.

Both the Guild of Students and the University already provide guidance on ‘being a good neighbour’ and how to integrate into the community, in the form of the ‘Student Community Guide.’

Additional funding from this project will permit the development of an additional summary guide – in the form of a condensed wall-chart, that will be distributed physically and electronically via letting agent/landlord networks.

Poster variations of key ‘good neighbour’ messages will also be

utilised in night-time economy venues as part of a broader awareness raising campaign.

 

Community Sparks

Work led by: In Exeter

Expected completion: March 2023

Almost £10,000 has been awarded to 11 projects aimed at making Exeter City Centre a more vibrant and safe place for visitors and residents.

Groups and individuals were invited to bid for a share of Safer Exeter’s Community Sparks scheme - which is funded as part of the Government’s Safer Streets project.

The successful projects cover a range of subjects from helping prevent drink spiking, to repairing benches and improving planters, litter picking and even a consultation into how best to use one of the city’s most central green spaces.

There’s also a new notice board for another green public space and a grant to help provide music at planned night markets in city centre spots.

Iona Collins, from St Sidwell’s Centre, said the funding will go towards five discussion groups and workshops that will help them take a proactive and collaborative approach to improving use of the grounds at the centre.

“We think it is really important to build relationships between those people perceived as causing problems in the grounds, with other members of the community,” she said.

Dawn Dines, from Stamp Out Spiking, said the grant would fund a course that provides front-line workers with education on drink spiking which they can then pass on to others in their field,

“Our concept will be to train front line workers such as street pastors, bar staff, managers of licensed premises, licensed door staff and persons associated within the night-time economy. This will allow recipients to be recognised as a Drink Spiking Aware venue and enable the confidence of the public to enjoy a safe and happy environment in which to socialise.”

Paul Layton from Exeter St James Community Trust, said: “Our immediate need is to replace the community noticeboard in Queens Crescent Gardens which was removed as it was a target for graffiti, damaged and leaking. A more robust, watertight and vandal proof design is required.”

 

The full list of successful bids is:

 

St Sidwell’s Centre

  1. £600 to facilitate discussion groups in how best to use the outside space at the centre
  2. £500 To run two open days - the wassail and a garden open day covering St Sidwell’s and Exeter Mosque

 

InExeter

  1. £887 for barrier baskets in North Street
  2. £750 for planters for businesses in South Street
  3. £500 repainting benches in Fore Street and South Street
  4. £1,000 for an art installation at the top of South Street

 

Exeter St James Community Trust

  1. £1,000 for a new notice board for Queens Crescent Gardens

 

Stamp Out Spiking

  1. £1,000 for further development of training course to identify and deal with spiking.
  2. £1,000 for a poster campaign to promote anti-spiking messages with businesses and community groups

 

Tidy Exeter

  1. £1,500 for equipment and activities around littler picking

 

Lottie Stanley

  1. £1,000 to fund musicians to play at night markets in quiet parts of the city

 

When this content has been updated

Last updated 15 February 2023