BURY'S most comprehensive ever look at Crime is being put out for public consultation.

The first ever crime and disorder audit - like that in Bolton - is to meet the requirements of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

It brings together information from various agencies, including the police, Bury Metro, Bury and Rochdale Health Authority and the probation service.

Now the public are being asked what they think the priorities should be.

The partnership, which is chaired by the council's chief executive, Dennis Taylor, and Bury's police divisional commander, Chief Supt Phil Hollowood, has identified five types of crime and anti-social behaviour to tackle.

They are: drugs including alcohol, house burglaries, domestic violence, incidents involving young people and racial harassment.

Until the end of February, widespread public consultation will take place to see whether the partnership's aims correspond with what local people want.

Mr Taylor said: "We believe that the five areas that we have identified are those that should be dealt with first and foremost."

He said community involvement was vital to tackle crime and disorder.

Benefit

Chief Supt Hollowood said: "The big benefit of working more closely with other agencies such as Bury Metro and the health authority is that they can help tackle the causes of crime whereas the police inevitably tend to deal more with the results."

Copies of the audit are available at local libraries, police stations, and Bury town hall. More information about the audit can be obtained by writing to the Bury Community Safety Partnership, c/o Mohammed Ayub, Policy Development Officer, Bury Town Hall, Knowsley Street, Bury, BL9 0SW.

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