Community Engagement: Cheshire Local Criminal Justice Board

Community Engagement

Community Engagement in the Congleton District of Cheshire

Involving people
Improving services
Building confidence

What is Community Engagement?
Community Engagement is part of the Government's strategy for improving public services and increasing confidence in the Criminal Justice System (CJS), making life better for everyone. Community Engagement brings the justice system and the community together: involving people, improving services and building confidence. Come along to the Local Criminal Justice Board Open Day on 31st May, for more information see table below.
Why is it needed?
Courts and the criminal justice agencies need to get closer to the communities they serve, so that the community become part of the solution to reduce crime. Community Engagement gives people an opportunity to become more involved and have more of a say.

How does it work?
Judges and magistrates will listen to the community to find out what their priorities and concerns are by:

attending public meetings where members of the community can talk to them about their issues;
holding events locally where people can learn more about the CJS and its agencies.

Your local community will be able to see more clearly what is being done to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour and will have a say in how to find solutions to the problem.

How can you get involved?
Go to a meeting that a magistrate is attending. Local magistrates will be attending Police run Community Action Meetings and Police Forums. Next meetings:

When?	What?	Where?
Monday 19th May 6.30pm	Congleton Adult Learners’ Week – presentation about magistrates’ work To be held in the main library	Congleton Library, Market Square, Congleton
Tuesday 20th May 6.30pm	Middlewich Town Council meeting – short presentation and questions	Council Chamber, Victoria Building, Lewin Street, Middlewich
Thursday 22nd May 7.15pm	Sandbach Town Council meeting – short presentation and questions	Sandbach Literary Institute, High Town, Sandbach, CW11 1AE
Saturday 31st May 10.00am – 3.00pm	Local Criminal Justice Board Open Day - (follow the link for more information about this event)	Congleton Town Hall
Monday 2nd June 9.30am	New Life Church in Congleton leaders’ meeting – 5 leaders plus interested parties	New Life Church, Congleton
Tuesday 3rd June 11.00am	Dane Housing Tenants’ Federation	Dane Housing Offices, Shepherd’s Mill, Worrall Street, Congleton
Tuesday 1st July 2.00pm	Cheshire Police Authority ‘Have Your Say’ – magistrates to give a 5-min presentation	Civic Hall, Middlewich
Thursday 14th August 7.30pm	Buglawton Community Group - a local community based voluntary group that meets 4 times a year to address local needs & projects	Buglawton Scout Hut
Tuesday 2nd Sept 7.00pm	Area Forum 1 – Alsager – short presentation and questions	Alsager – venue TBC
Thursday 4th Sept 7.30pm	Congleton Co-op members group 30 members supporting local initiatives	Trinity Methodist Hall, Wagg Street, Congleton (entrance at the back)
Tuesday 16th Sept 7.00pm	Area Forum 2 – Sandbach – short presentation and questions	Sandbach – venue TBC
Wednesday 17th Sept 2.00pm	Rilshaw Trefoil Guild – presentation to 16 adults	The Institute, Queen Street, Middlewich
Monday 22nd Sept 7.00pm	Area Forum 3 – Holmes Chapel / Middlewich – short presentation and questions	Holmes Chapel / Middlewich – venue TBC
Tuesday 23rd Sept 7.00pm	Area Forum 4 – Congleton – short presentation and questions	Congleton – venue TBC
Tuesday 7th October 7.00pm	Cheshire Police Authority ‘Have Your Say’	St. Luke’s Church Hall, Holmes Chapel

You have the opportunity to get involved in tackling neighbourhood crime in many different ways:

Contact us and invite a magistrate to visit your local community meeting or event
Apply to become a magistrate - for more information click here
Volunteer with Victim Support Cheshire – email: enquiries@cheshirevictimsupport.org for more details
Volunteer as a Special Constable – click here
Become a mentor with the Probation Service – click here
Provide ideas for unpaid work projects - click here
Contact us and let us know what you want to see happen in your neighbourhood

How does it affect you?
By bringing together local people and the agencies involved in fighting and preventing crime, Community Engagement can help to reduce crime. It is hoped that this project will also help to reduce fear of crime and increase confidence that crime is being dealt with effectively.

Who is involved?
Community Engagement is a Government initiative being delivered and supported locally by:

South Cheshire Magistrates’ Court and your local magistrates
The Cheshire Local Criminal Justice Board (LCJB) which is made up of:

CJS working together for the public

Cheshire

Community Engagement