Park tidy-up impressing locals in Clifton

A retired magistrate living in Clifton is hoping the tidy-up of a local park is a sign of things to come.

Clifton Flower Park was the latest area to benefit from a multi-agency day of action recently, which included service users from the Immediate Justice scheme litter picking and carrying out general maintenance.

The work is already catching the attention of residents, including 78-year-old Errol Clarkston who has lived in the area for the last 65 years.

Errol, who is also an alumni fellow helping law students with practical advice at Nottingham Trent University, said: “My father-in-law helped set the park up so it means a lot to me and my family to see it being improved through the day of action.

“The park has lost its way a little over the years, but it’s great to see a policing presence which can only improve the feelings of safety around here.

“I’m hoping it is just the start of better things to come because it would have been an impossible task without everybody coming together and doing their bit.”

The day brought together a range of partners, including Nottinghamshire Police, Nottingham City Council, Nottingham City Homes and Nottingham Trent University among others.

It comes after the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire invested £333,000 in Nottingham City as part of the latest round of Safer Streets projects.

Due to a change in regulations only allowing for a maximum of three bids, which would have excluded the city. The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire has committed the additional funding for projects in Nottingham City to ensure the people of Nottingham don’t miss out.

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden said: “Multi-agency days of action are all about partners coming together to make a difference in our communities.

“The high-visibility presence in Clifton is making a difference to feelings of safety, while giving locals somewhere to visit that they can be proud of.

“Community Cohesion is crucial in all areas of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, which is why areas like the Flower Park are targeted for significant safety and environmental improvements.”

The Safer Streets five initiative has focused on improving safety in Clifton and Bulwell, with ongoing work including upgrading street lighting, installing new CCTV cameras, the instillation of free home security equipment for vulnerable residents such as video doorbells and locks as well as organising community events aimed at reducing crime and antisocial behaviour.

By combining these interventions, the Safer Streets project aims to create a comprehensive approach to tackling local safety issues, ensuring all community members feel safe and supported.

Nottinghamshire Police’s Neighbourhood Policing Inspector for City South, Steve Dalby, said: “It’s really important that we continue to strive to make improvements to areas like this in Clifton to make the area safe for people.

“We’ve had some really positive feedback from residents, who say they are really pleased with the policing presence in the park which shows the value in the work being done.

“As part of the Safer Streets 5 project we’ve introduced a number of interventions over the past year, including enhanced CCTV which increases feelings of safety while also acting as a deterrent to offenders.”

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