Gold group winds up: Town centre anti social behaviour ‘down 42%’ but public ‘remember well the issues from 2016’

A pilot scheme introduced after well documented anti social behaviour issues in town during 2016 has been wound up, with ‘life changing work’ being included in a range of successes.

The ‘Gold Command Group’ was set up two years in a bid to tackle local issues with substance misuse and provide support to service users.

It came off the back of both local and national media coverage in 2016 surrounding the use of NPS (New Psychoactive Substances) such as Spice in Wrexham – resulting in the phrase ‘zombie town’ being used by several publications and growing concerns over safety from residents.

Although it was setup in a reaction to the apparent growth of NPS (Spice / Mamba) over time it was found ‘the single biggest common denominator amongst the most vulnerable was they were struggling and/or unable to engage with mainstream services’.

At the point of handover / winding up of the Gold group, the following data has been recorded:

– 28 high priority clients engaged with the process
– 54% completed detox
– 57% completed rehab
– 32% abstinent
– 52% housed with support

A survey carried out by the Wrexham Community Safety Partnership (CSP) in 2016/17 found that 49% of participants felt a bit unsafe or very unsafe in the town centre. This is compared to the 89% who said they either felt very safe or safe in 2015.

As a result the “pilot” Gold Strategic Partnership Group was set up in a bid to address the issues and the growing concern from visitors to the town.

Described in October 2017 by Cllr Hugh Jones, deputy council leader, as a “unique process to Wrexham“, the group consisted of councillors and officers, Wrexham MP Ian Lucas, Lesley Griffiths AM, police, social services and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

It oversaw the ‘NPS Taskforce’, which was created to “consider new and innovative ways of addressing the visible and vulnerable cohort” in the town centre.

An information report published ahead of tomorrow’s executive board highlights the work that has been carried out over the past two years by the two groups and various services within the town centre.

This included attempts to reduce anti social behaviour in town, a reduction in NPS use amongst a cohort of individuals, improved public and business perception and improving the health and well-being of users.

One of the key successes highlighted is the weekly multi-agency triage ‘Care Hub’, which provides a one-stop shop and “everyone in the room” approach to signposting service users to help including accommodation, benefits support and harm reduction advice.

The hub is also supported by a Betsi Cadwaldr University Health Board GP, who can offer assistance and prescribe in relation to medical needs.

Other work includes using a single point of contact officer to co-ordinate and support clients within the top 20 highest need and highest risk category. This includes working within the council’s partnership team in terms of needs assessments for individuals.

Such work has since been referenced and picked up elsewhere in the UK as many other towns and cities are experiencing similar issues to Wrexham, many avoiding the splashed images of those affected hitting frontpages, so do not have the additional reputation issues to fix.

The work has been deemed ‘effective’ with the below graph tracking the number of call outs to police to a specific set of 20 ;visible vulnerable cohort’ in the town centre.

Another graph is published in the report showing the changes to the level of anti social behaviour in town between August 2015 and March 2019 – with a claimed 42% decrease,

However the work of the Gold Group is described as “always being time limited” and as a result, ended at the end of April 2019 – with the work being “subsumed into the remit of the statutory CSP for Wrexham”.

Despite this, the report acknowledges that the work carried out with the group has not resulted in a change in public perception by some that the town is unsafe to visit due to the issues.

Data included within the document notes that whilst the number of call outs to police regarding anti social behaviour has dropped since 2016, more work is needed to “reassure the public and re-establish the reputation that Wrexham town centre is safe”. It is unclear exactly how and what work will be carried out to do that, or to ensure any future issues involving a literal handful of people does not get amplified as it did in 2016.

A survey carried out by the Wrexham CSP in 2018 found that 58% of people responded by saying they felt either a bit or very unsafe during the day in the town – an increase on the 49% who said similar back in 2016/17.

Going forward this “reputational issue” will need to be addressed by Wrexham CSP and Wrexham Council departments.

The report concludes: “The support work, of course, also continues.

“However it is vital to understand that the ASB related problems in Wrexham town centre and surrounding areas have not gone away.

“They are being managed by the partnership responses that have been put in place.

“It is vital that as we move to mainstream this work we do not los the advantageous ways of working that this project has established.”

Issues do persist and are being documented, for example last week we spotted the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner tweeting about ‘blatant drug dealing’ in Lord Street, with a telephone box seen as being a key to the ongoing issues. Nearby a pair of phone boxes by Hays Travel have previously been removed after being linked to similar issues.

Time this *honey pot* telephone kiosk on Lord Street, Wrexham, was removed cos of blatant drug dealing so as to give local businesses a break #POP @marcvjones @NWPWrexhamTown @NWPComSafEast pic.twitter.com/xRpZXUwPe6

— Arfon Jones (@ArfonJ) June 5, 2019

With the Commissioner apparently witnessing dealing and taking the unusual step of publishing images on Twitter of people alongside the claim, we asked North Wales Police if there was any reports on the log for a similar time and location. We are told there were not.