SOUTH Lakeland District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Health, Wellbeing and Financial Resilience has promised to work with partners to do everything they can to keep South Cumbria one of the safest places in the country in her new role as chair of the area’s Community Safety Partnership (CSP).

Councillor Suzie Pye was elected to the post at a recent meeting of the partnership, with Supt. Sarah Jackson from Cumbria Constabulary being elected vice chair.

Cllr Pye said: “It is an honour to be elected as chair of South Cumbria Community Safety Partnership.

“In my time as Portfolio Holder for Health, Wellbeing and Financial Resilience I have seen first-hand the great work done, with partners coming together to make our communities safer and I look forward to developing that further.

“We are very fortunate to live in one of the safest parts of the country but we cannot be complacent. We face challenges around all five of the CSP’s priority areas but the partnership’s plan sets out practical ways of working together to deliver action to make a difference in those areas.”

Superintendent Sarah Jackson said: “I’m delighted to be able to work alongside councillor Pye in such a vital partnership.

“We will work collectively with partners to tackle crime and support vulnerable people in south Cumbria.

“This is one of the safest places to live, work and visit in the country and we will do all we can to build on that for all our communities.”

South Cumbria CSP is a collaboration between South Lakeland District Council, Barrow Borough Council, Cumbria Constabulary and partner agencies including Safer Cumbria, which aims to reduce crime and enable local communities to remain safe and reassured, without fear, or threat, of crime.

SLDC is the accountable body for the South Cumbria SCP, while funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner supports delivery of projects.

A notable SCCSP project has been the Applied Theatre in Cumbria performances, which last year saw more than 1,000 Year 9 students engage with the “County Lines” production in Kendal and Barrow, learning about the dangers of exploitation and county lines drug dealing.

This year South Cumbria CSP is working to prevent domestic abuse, substance abuse and drug supply, violent crime and anti-social behaviour and protect vulnerable people.