We're working in conjunction with Cheshire Police to seek the views of Ditton residents on Neighbourhood Watch schemes.

Neighbourhood Watch schemes aim to reduce crime by directly involving the community in activities that promote safety or assist with the detection of crime. They actively seek the greater involvement of local people in crime prevention activities. They are known under a variety of names including home watch, block watch and community watch.

Over the past several years, participation and involvement from residents and the members of the community in such schemes has decreased significantly.

Statistics show that belonging to a Neighbourhood Watch scheme significantly reduces the possibility of becoming a victim of crime.

Working alongside our partners, we would like to find out why this is, explore what the barriers are for people and what can be done to encourage people to get involved, looking at new and innovative ways such as WhatsApp groups.

Halton Housing Neighbourhood Safety Officer, Lisa Temperley said: “We’re all about improving people’s lives. Empowering and encouraging people to be prompt in reporting suspicious activity to the police will help reduce vulnerability, decrease the opportunities for crime and demonstrate to potential criminals that they are in a security-conscious area.”

Neighbourhood Inspector for Widnes, Shaun Pyke said: “As the new Neighbourhood Inspector, I would like to work together with residents to improve their area and address any quality-of-life issues.”

Customers of Halton Housing and residents of Ditton are invited to complete a short survey to put forward their views.

The survey can be completed here. The closing date to provide feedback is Wednesday 9th June.

The survey forms part of our Destination Ditton programme which aims to create lasting improvements, bring communities together, and create opportunities for customers and residents in Ditton.

We want all of our customers to feel valued, that their voice is heard, and that our services are shaped to meet their needs. There are lots of ways you can get involved. From joining an estate walkabout to getting involved with customer engagement events and customer panels to have your say on how services are delivered to you and your neighbours. Find out more on our involvement page or email our Customer Engagement Team at involved@haltonhousing.co.uk.