Anti-social behaviour down as Community Safety Partnership reports on a year of action

Article date: 25 September 2026

The report was presented to Cabinet earlier this week and can be viewed online.

Last year's successes

2025-26 saw significant reductions in ASB - the highest reduction on Merseyside - with St Helens now having the joint lowest rate.

The impact of hotspot policing has been instrumental, with ASB down by 52% in St Helens town centre and 61% in Clock Face, contributing to the overall reduction in ASB by 17%.

Hotspot policing also delivered major reductions in serious violence, including a 40% reduction in St Helens town centre and a 71% reduction in Gaskell Park.

Other successes were reported following community initiatives like the Together As One campaign and coordinated neighbourhood work, which launched at the Derbyshire Hill Community centre, and culminated with the unveiling of a new graffiti mural. Incidents of anti-social behaviour in the area fell by more than 75%.

In other crime figures, burglary reduced by 8.6%, other theft by 14%, vehicle crime by 2.4% and public order offences by 3.8%, though incidents of bicycle theft, robbery and possession of weapons increased in St Helens and across Merseyside.

The report also provides insight into Merseyside Police's Operation Medusa, which targeted county lines drug dealing and led to the closure of 32 county lines, 126 arrests, and 21 weapons seizures, while safeguarding vulnerable people at risk of exploitation.

The year also saw the opening of a new police station in Newton-le-Willows, while community projects, youth diversionary activity and neighbourhood initiatives continued to attract investment.

As partners gear up for this year's Operation Banger, which targets anti-social behaviour, fly-tipping and illegal fires at Halloween and Bonfire Night, the report highlights strong results in 2025's operation, when:

• Deliberate secondary fires across Merseyside fell by 65.5%, the lowest level recorded by the fire service.
• St Helens recorded just 18 incidents, a 59.1% reduction compared with the previous year.
• Partnership-funded tipper trucks removed more than 13.5 tonnes of waste ahead of Bonfire Night.

Then in the lead up to Christmas 2025, the Community Safety Partnership increased its focus on night time economy initiatives, securing £25,000 from the Police and Crime Commissioner to support the Safe Nights, Great Places campaign. The funding supported the delivery of new night time economy marshals, bar staff training, safety equipment and joint enforcement activity.

All of which helped St Helens town centre to retain its Purple Flag status, recognising a safe and vibrant night-time economy.

Councillor Sharon Roughley was appointed to Chair the Community Safety Partnership at its meeting in June, and also serves as the Deputy Council Leader, Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities.

Cllr Roughley said:

"This year's report shows that partnership working is making a real difference across St Helens Borough. We have delivered the biggest reduction in anti-social behaviour anywhere on Merseyside, reduced overall crime, cut burglary and vehicle crime, and achieved significant reductions in serious violence in key hotspot areas.

"While some offences have increased, these figures need to be viewed in the context of proactive policing, stronger intelligence-led enforcement and increased confidence in reporting crime. Through initiatives such as Operation Medusa, hotspot policing and targeted youth engagement, we are disrupting anti-social behaviour and criminal activity, protecting vulnerable residents and investing in prevention.

"There is still more work to do, but this report demonstrates that partners across St Helens are working together effectively to deliver safer communities and better outcomes for residents."

But challenges remain

Domestic abuse continues to be a shared concern of the partnership and remains one of the five priorities of the CSP. Incidents remained stable and the partnership secured seven additional refuge spaces while launching a new Domestic Abuse Strategy.

The CSP continues to provide strategic oversight of the Combating Drugs Partnership, with sustained progress made in 2025/26 in tackling illegal drug use, addressing drug related deaths and promoting positive recovery.

Ketamine misuse has emerged as a significant public health and safeguarding concern, due its low cost, availability and a lack of awareness of its significant harm to health.

Using ketamine regularly can lead to severe, and sometimes permanent, bladder damage. This might cause pain when peeing, blood in your urine, and needing to pee often, due to your bladder shrinking and scarring.

In the last year, St Helens established a dedicated Ketamine Sub-Group, whose work has positioned the borough as an early leader in recognition and response to ketamine harm, recognised regionally and nationally for its innovative education, treatment and prevention programme.

Within her first few weeks as the partnership's Chair, Councillor Roughley, alongside the council's Interim Director of Public Health, visited local families who are living with the real impact of ketamine misuse, to listen to their experiences and help to shape local support services.

Councillor Roughley added:

"The misuse and supply of ketamine remains a key challenge and priority for our Community Safety Partnership. It's why I was keen to meet with local families, to hear directly from those with lived experience and share that learning with our commissioned recovery services.

"Targeting the supply, increasing awareness of the harms to health, and early intervention are so important, but when recovery services are needed it's vital that we can provide effective and informed support that is compassionate to the particular needs of ketamine users. I'm proud to support the proactive approach being taken in St Helens."

The report has also been supported by Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner, Emily Spurrell, who said:

"I'm proud to continue supporting the Safer St Helens Community Safety Partnership and to see the tangible difference our collective efforts are making for residents, businesses and communities across the borough.

"This year's report highlights the strength of partnership working in St Helens, with agencies coming together to deliver a coordinated, preventative approach to tackling crime and antisocial behaviour. From targeted neighbourhood policing and enforcement activity to early intervention and community-led programmes, the partnership continues to focus on what matters most to local people."