Door-knock project could be expanded (From Ledbury Reporter)

Door-knock project could be expanded

6:00pm Wednesday 10th October 2012 in News By Tarik Al Rasheed

AN innovative doorknocking project in the most deprived area of Malvern could be rolled out to other parts of the district if it is a success.

Malvern Hills District Council is backing the project in Malvern’s Pickersleigh ward, with £22,900 from its priorities fund.

It will involve an “intensive programme” of home visits, making sure residents are aware of the services available to them and organising referrals to other bodies where deemed appropriate.

It is hoped the project will help people access health advice, fire safety checks, police and neighbourhood watch groups and support from bodies such as Age UK and the Citizens Advice Bureau.

It is being carried out as part of the Big Pickersleigh Project (BPP), a £470,000 scheme launched by the Malvern Hills Partnership last year, after Pickersleigh was identified as the most deprived ward in the entire district.

Members of MHDC’s executive committee voted unanimously to fund the door-knocking.

Councillor Val Myatt, chairman of the BPP, said “The door-knocking, specifically I think, could be used in pockets of deprivation throughout the district.

“It will be interesting to see how it works out,”

she said.

The Big Pickersleigh Project involves more than 40 local organisations, including West Mercia Police, Malvern Hills District and Worcestershire County councils, Neighbourhood Watch and Festival Housing Group.

Earlier this year the Malvern Gazette reported how anti-social behaviour in Pickersleigh fell by almost 20 per cent in the year following its launch.

There were 610 recorded incidents of anti-social behaviour in Pickersleigh during 2011 (a rate of 95.7 per 1,000 of the total ward population), compared with 755 (118.4 per 1,000) the previous year.