4. How does the Minister intend to work with Police and Crime Commissioners to combat anti-social behaviour in Welsh communities? OAQ(5)0016(CC)

I thank the Member for Newport West for her question. I will shortly have held discussions with all of the police and crime commissioners for Wales to identify opportunities to work together. I am determined to tackle anti-social behaviour and will work with the commissioners to do this.

Thank you. A visible uniformed presence within our communities reassures and plays a vital role in tackling anti-social behaviour. With cuts to policing from the Westminster Government, police community support officers are a way to support our police and serve our communities. The 101 PCSOs that the Welsh Government provides for Gwent do make an important difference and are a significant contribution to policing in the area. Will the Cabinet Secretary confirm that he will work with the police and crime commissioners to ensure that continues, and that tackling anti-social behaviour is a priority?

Of course, the Member is right to raise this. The Welsh Labour manifesto commitment of 500 PCSOs is something that was very popular on the doorstep when we went to the electorate the term before. Continuing with the 101 PCSOs in Gwent that the Member makes reference to, I agree that that funding will continue to make a crucial difference. We have to consider how the implementation of PCSOs is taken with police and crime commissioners; it is a matter operationally for them. But it’s something where I look forward to working on joint policies together, and how we can both tackle police and crime commissioners’ priorities and the Welsh Government priorities together.

Police figures, unfortunately, reveal that Wind Street in Swansea with its well-known night-time economy has the highest rate of crime of any street in Wales. Regeneration plans are forthcoming and being developed and considered for the adjacent Castle Square area. When you have your forthcoming discussions with the police and crime commissioners, can you please include an item on the importance of police input into urban design so that regeneration actually combats opportunities for anti-social behaviour?

I’m very grateful for the Member’s question. I would ask the Member to reflect on the statistics that she has because I have had some recent briefing on Wind Street in particular. There is a project there that is in partnership with the police and crime commissioner Alun Michael and the local health board and ambulance service about how they manage the night-time economy. It has had some fantastic results in reducing the incidence of crime and alcohol abuse in that particular area. I think it’s called the Help Point. I’ll just refer the Member to that, and maybe it’s something that she would like to look at because, actually, it is a great example of what we can do in communities where there are pressures of the night-time economy, Wind Street being one of them. But I think it was moving from being one of the most unsafe places to being to one of the safest in the UK. So, I would ask the Member that maybe the statistics she has may now be updated.