New refuge point installed in Retford thanks to Safer Streets
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner is continuing to help people feel safe while visiting Worksop and Retford town centres by installing another Refuge Help Point.
The council has installed its 10th “help” or CCTV refuge point on Carolgate in Retford, following previous installations on the Market Square in Retford, as well as locations across Worksop Town Centre.
The help points work by connecting the person in need of assistance with the Council’s CCTV control room, who if needed can contact the emergency services, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
As well as acting as a deterrent, it can be used by anyone feeling unsafe, threatened, or needing urgent support, and allows someone to visibly monitor and speak with them.
Gary Godden, Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire said: "The installation of this latest Refuge Help Point is another vital step in making our town centres safer and more accessible for everyone.
“These help points not only act as a deterrent to potential offenders but provide immediate, round-the-clock support for anyone feeling vulnerable or unsafe.
“By connecting people directly with our CCTV control room, we can ensure a swift response and added peace of mind.
“I’m proud that the Safer Streets funding is continuing to support initiatives that protect our communities."
The refuge points have been funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire through its Locality Fund and the Home Office’s Safer Streets fund. They are located at:
- High Hoe Road, Worksop
- Blyth Road, Worksop
- Devonshire Street/Newcastle Avenue, Worksop
- Priorswell Road, Worksop
- Gateford Road/Babbage Way, Worksop
- Victoria Square, Worksop
- Bridge Street, Worksop
- The Canch, Worksop
- Grove Street, Retford
Cllr Lynne Schuller, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing said: “This latest help point is a welcome addition to Retford Town Centre and can provide support if needed at the touch of a button, either during the day or when out at night.
“We want people to feel safe in our communities and we hope that this new help point will give visitors greater confidence when they visit our town centres, as they support our work towards making Bassetlaw a safer and healthier place to live, as outlined in our Vision 2040."
Other measures are in place to help people feel safer including the council’s Anti-Social Behaviour, Housing and Environmental Teams who work closely with the Police, Fire, and other agencies such as CGL to support those who misuse drugs and alcohol across the district.
Safer Street Wardens are an integral high visibility presence that currently patrol in Worksop to enforce the Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) and increase the feeling of safety, with the aim of doing the same in Retford in the future.
Retford is also covered by a PSPO which tackles antisocial behaviour such as drinking alcohol on the street, causing a nuisance, harassment, alarm, or distress. Breaching a PSPO is a criminal offence and can result in a fixed penalty notice of £100 or a fine of up to £1k if convicted in court.
Shopwatch and Pubwatch in both Retford and Worksop, enable our officers to work with communities and businesses in reducing crime and disorder within the night time economy and retail.
Meanwhile the towns are also covered by a WalkSafe app, set up by North Notts BID, it highlights safe venues and refuge points as well as enabling users to track their location, so family and friends are aware of when someone’s due home.
If you’re experiencing anti-social behaviour, and you are not in immediate danger, find out how you can report it here: www.bassetlaw.gov.uk/community-and-living/community-safety/anti-social-behaviour/
To find out more about the current PSPOs in force in Bassetlaw visit: www.bassetlaw.gov.uk/community-and-living/community-safety/public-space-protection-orders-pspos/