Protecting

We continue to operate multiple channels to tackle and minimise crime within the BID.

Protecting Total spend – £82,148

Protecting customers, staff and businesses is of vital importance for a thriving city centre. The Edinburgh Visitor Survey again highlighted the success of our innovative partnerships with 87% of people feeling safer in the BID area than elsewhere in the city. BID Cop PC Leo Baker offers an enhanced police presence and active support for our businesses through our ground-breaking partnership with Police Scotland.

This reporting year PC Baker has visited over 170 businesses. He has provided twelve “Hard Target” courses for retailers, training 116 staff to minimise shoplifting opportunities within BID businesses. Complemented by our Check Out communication system which links over 165 retailers with the Police, our joined up approach is making the city centre an unattractive location for shoplifters.

Addressing the growing issues around cycle theft, PC Baker has marked and added 64 bikes to the national register, ensuring that recovered bicycles can be reunited with their rightful owners. Essential Edinburgh has also funded Kryptonite bike locks at bike marking events to discourage opportunistic theft. A project is also underway with Police Scotland to support secure motorcycle parking in the city centre.

Navigator Project – with Cyrenians We’re proud to partner with Cyrenians supporting their amazing work caring for the homeless community in our city. Our investment funds Outreach Worker Nick Harrold through the Navigator Project. Working on a one-to-one basis with rough sleepers on the streets, Nick provides support by developing a relationship, responding to the person’s priorities and supporting them to address these.

The Navigator Team have engaged in over 100 direct interventions with members of the homeless community in the city centre, providing on-going 1:1 support with eight separate individuals. Since the project began they have closed four cases, obtaining and maintaining accommodation or alternative support. The key to the project’s success is that it offers peer support, delivered by a team with first-hand experience of homelessness. Nick has 25 years’ experience in working with vulnerable people and takes to the streets of Edinburgh several times a week alongside his colleague whose own experience of sleeping rough gives the service a unique advantage.

“What makes us different is the combination of my networks and understanding of the way official systems work with his knowledge of the streets and personal connections. Folk open up to him much quicker than they would if it was just me.” Nick’s two-person team also liaises with other specialist agencies including the Bethany Christian Trust, the Community Police Team – including our BID Cop PC Baker – and Access Point.

The Essential Edinburgh team have been raising funds for Cyrenians with Grant Roberts, PC Leo Baker and Roddy Smith completing the Edinburgh Men’s 10K run raising over £1,200 for this remarkable charity.

The Navigator team have engaged in over 100 direct interventions.

Navigator Project - since start:

Closed 4 cases since project start 100+ direct interventions Currently providing 1:1 support for 8 individuals (7 male & 1 female) Advised and supported additional 97 individuals 800 hours spent supporting some of Edinburgh’s most vulnerable individuals How can you help? If you think someone is in immediate danger on the street, call Police Scotland on 999 or 101 If you see someone sleeping rough who you think needs support, call Cyrenians on 0131 475 2503 If you or someone you know is at immediate risk of homelessness, call 0800 032 5968

Want to support Cyrenians wider work? Visit www.cyrenians.scot to find out how. Security Initiatives We continue to operate multiple channels to tackle and minimise crime within the BID; funding two CCTV cameras, Check Out for retailers, Check In for hoteliers, Gold Watch for jewellers and Pub Watch for hospitality businesses - all helping to make the city centre an unattractive location for crime.

Check Out still leads the way with its innovative approach to tackling retail crime through partnership working. Coordinated sharing of information by over 165 signed-up retailers and Police Scotland helps to make our BID an unappealing target for shoplifters. Reporting grew by 31% this year, with partners sharing data on 491 incidents.

Protecting Crime statistics

Crime Stats NB: Crime figures reported by Police Scotland are, at time of publication, only available for the final quarter of this reporting year – 1st April to 30th June 2019. Crime figures are for the whole City Centre Ward area. Reported crimes included are: Serious Assault, Housebreaking to a business, Shoplifting, Robbery, Vandalism, Common Assault and the total of these five areas. Recorded crime is down 2.5% compared to last year but up 4.8% compared to the fiveyear average. Serious assault, housebreaking to a business and robbery were all lower than the five-year average, down 14.9%, 33.3% and 27.3% respectively. Total detection rates were slightly down on last year and on the five-year average by 0.6% and 3.7% respectively. Individual areas - Housebreaking to a business, Robbery and Vandalism – have higher detection rates than last year and the five-year average.

Recorded Crime

Serious Assault

Down -7.7% on last year Down -14.9% on 5 year average

Housebreaking to a business

Down -25.6% on last year Down -33.3% on 5 year average

Shoplifting

Up 2.1% on last year

Robbery

Down -61.9% on last year Down -27.3% on 5 year average

Vandalism

Down -2.2% on last year Up 4.0% on 5 year average

Common assault

Down -0.8% on last year Up 6.2% on 5 year average

Total crimes and offences

Down -2.5% on last year Up 4.8% on 5 year average

Detected Crime

Serious Assault

Down -26.6% on last year Down -20.3% on 5 year average

Housebreaking to a business

Up 29.1% on last year Up 10.6% on 5 year average

Robbery

Up 17.9% on last year Up 18.6% on 5 year average

Vandalism

Up 5.5% on last year Up 1.4% on 5 year average

Common assault

Up 1.5% on last year Down -4.3% on 5 year average

Total crimes and offences

Down -0.6% on last year Down -3.7% on 5 year average

Crime statistics from Police Scotland, April - June 2019 for Edinburgh City Centre Ward area.

“We have had great support for our proposals from local stakeholders and businesses in Edinburgh. We are incredibly excited by our plans for the Johnnie Walker visitor experience where people can explore, discover, and immerse themselves in our story of the world’s leading whisky brand and we are grateful to everyone who has helped us to get to this stage. We will continue to work with the local community as we progress with making our plans a reality.” David Cutter, Chairman of Diageo in Scotland.