To consider the report of the Executive Member Community and Safety which provides an end of project overview and evaluation of the Right to the Streets project in North Trafford.

The Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration presented a report regarding Right of Streets – End of Project. The report provides an end of project report on the Right to the Streets, a Home Office-funded gender-based violence street safety project. The Right to the Streets project commenced in Trafford in September 2022 and completed in September 2023.

This innovative project has combined community activity, policy work, podcasting, visuals campaign, social media, artwork and communities grants to build a wide reaching, impactful grassroot project.

The project focussed on North Trafford, Gorsehill, Old Trafford and Stretford areas and was shaped using a co design process using local data, engagement Events and Art projects. Local partners in the area, including Trafford Council, were keen to kickstart a successful place-based approach to addressing this complex issue of physical inactivity and community exclusion caused by fear of and experience of male violence against women and girls.

Our Safer Streets project, ‘Right to the Streets’, explored ways to make streets and public spaces safer and more welcoming for women and girls so they feel a sense of belonging in their community and are able to live active lives.

The Right to the Streets project was delivered in a partnership consisting of a variety of key organisations that have taken responsibility for certain elements; partners, page 301 refers.

As a strategic partner, Trafford Council have supported Right to the Streets through building networks and making connections. Our role has been to support the project with expertise, networking, focusing on the local area, embedding in local plans and with local data and insight.

The legacy of the project has been varied and this includes the opportunity of Rights to the Streets. Council has secured £20,000 funding from the Cooperative Councils Innovation Network to deliver a Policy Lab on tackling Violence Against Women and Girls working with 8 other Councils in the Uk. The evidence and knowledge from this project will be used to share approaches from councils across the UK. This work will continue during 2023/24, will be reported back on the Network regularly and will be evaluated in Summer 2024.

That as part of the Legislative theatre commitments, Executive Member for Communities and Safety and the Policy Team continue to engage with GM contacts to be involved in key work in this area going forward. Trafford Council will be working with GMCA on their new GBV strategy delivery plan in 2024.

The Executive Member highlighted how Rights to the Street has helped with Trafford Council’s thinking when developing and moving forward in priority areas. This is through understanding the localities and issues with them. This has been particularly see across Partington and the Levelling Up Fund project at Partington Sports Village and Trafford Council has shown that women’s safety from male violence was considered throughout the evidence of the project.

Councillor Slater thanked the Executive Member for an excellent report and the work that has been done and that the Rights to the Streets should be part of the fundamentals when dealing with planning, opening up cycleways as examples.

Councillor Lepori asked if something similar can be put in place at Altricham where problematic behaviour is in evidence including women and girls and police are struggling to deal with those problems.

The Leader informed Members that the Altricham issue would be get taken away and would be considered.

Councillor Welton took the view that there is potential for a cross Borough project if the funding could be found. He made reference to the need for appropriately lit and safe cycling routes.

The Leader acknowledged that this is something the Council can explore other parts of Trafford as well subject to funding.

RESOLVED: That the Executive notes the contents of the report.