Less than half feel safe in Dudley borough

Less than half of people who responded to a survey from Dudley Council feel the borough is a safe place to live.

The shocking findings will be presented to a meeting of the authority’s Communities and Growth Scrutiny Committee at a meeting on March 18. The data was gathered during a survey by Dudley’s community safety partnership, called Safe and Sound.

The 2024/25 survey received 843 responses which is a record and 140 higher than the previous year. A total of 48% felt Dudley was a safe place to live while just 39% felt safe when they were out and about.

The report says the top three issues were antisocial behaviour (ASB), dangerous driving and domestic burglary while analysis of the results shows people may not be concerned about life in their neighbourhoods but there are particular areas where they feel unsafe.

Despite the perception, data shows Dudley has the lowest crime rate per 1,000 people for the last 12 months in the West Midlands Police area.

The survey included a question asking residents how they felt people from different backgrounds ‘get on’ in their local area. A total of 837 people responded, 68% said ‘well or ‘very well’ which is 11%  less than the previous year.

In the 2024/25 financial year the council saved £476,000 in ASB services and is forecasting savings of £365,000 in 2025/26. A tough new ASB policy will be presented to the council’s cabinet for approval on March 25. The policy will include the roll out of community champions to identify and report ASB, out of hours teams operating seven-day cover, mobile units and drones to monitor ASB and a new case management system.

The report, signed by Kathryn Jones, Dudley director of housing and assets, said: “The council is keen to embed a zero tolerance approach is taken in cases where ASB is proven.

“Whilst the need to evidence the ASB will still take time in some cases, residents can expect to see firm and proportionate action in such cases.”

Funding for the new policy will come from budgets already approved by the council. Meanwhile, the current survey is live until March 31 on the council’s website.