Strategic assessments and partnership plans

This assessment highlights some of the key issues and risks across Lancashire which affect the local communities. They require multi-agency engagement to improve safeguarding, reduce vulnerability, reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, and improve the well-being of our residents. These key issues have remained similar through a number of the Strategic Assessment processes in recent years as the victims are those often most vulnerable within
society.

The key risks and threats impacting across the county include:

Domestic abuse
Violence against Women and Girls
Serious violence (includes gun and gang crime, and knife crime)
Exploitation – criminal and sexual
Organised Crime
Road safety
Anti-Social Behaviour
Cyber crime

Across Lancashire, there is a recognition that a public health and trauma informed approach is required to tackle issues, by looking at the wider determinants of crime and health and understanding root causes to enable an early intervention and preventative approach.

Crime rates across Lancashire are lower than both the national and regional rates. When comparing 2021/22 to 2023/24 there has been a 6% reduction in all crime. During this time, reductions have been seen in violent crime, sexual offences, and reports of domestic abuse to the police. Theft offences have increased – in particular offences of shoplifting, which is a trend seen across the country. Victims, vulnerability, and safeguarding remain a theme throughout the assessment.

Key findings from the strategic assessment and local profiles are available to download below:

The Community Safety Agreement 2022-2025 (PDF 663) and Plan on a Page sets out how we will work together to address the community safety priorities for the Lancashire-12 area. This is based on the 2022 - 2025 strategic assessment.

The Police and Crime plan sets out the strategic direction and priorities for the Police and Crime Commissioner. Each local district and unitary authority in Lancashire also produce plans to show how they are dealing with crime and disorder in their locality, based on the strategic assessment.

The Pan Lancashire Hate Crime Strategy 2022 2025 sets the tone and direction for a range of public bodies and organisations across Lancashire to collectively address hate crime in all its forms, by educating, promoting, and implementing hate crime legislation through a cohesive partnership approach. It is governed by the Strategic Hate Crime Group representatives and endorsed by all the local authorities in Lancashire including Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool, along with Key Stakeholders such as CPS, Lancashire Victim Services and the Football Association.

 

Page updated March 2025