Successful crime-busting scheme extended in Cheltenham
The scheme has been extended for 5 years.
A Cheltenham project which aims to break the impact of organised crime and find long-term and lasting solutions has been extended.
The Moors is the first area in Gloucestershire to be considered under the Home Office’s “Clear – Hold – Build” initiative.
This scheme is aimed at tackling organised crime, building community resilience, improving confidence and trust in agencies, and making the area a safer place to live.
Cheltenham Borough Council implemented a local lettings plan in June 2024 allowing them to refuse tenancies in the area to those with links to organised crime or with a history of causing anti-social behaviour.
The policy was reviewed after its first year of operation, and to give the community and other partners certainty, after requests by local councillors, it has now been extended by five years.
Councillor David Willingham (LD, St Peter’s) said: “The work done by the police, the councils, and their partners has led to measurable improvements in the area, but to make a real difference, Clear – Hold – Build will need to operate for the long-haul.
“By extending the Local lettings plan by five years, we hope to leave a positive legacy, showing our commitment to the community and giving the council’s partners certainty lasting across several elections; something particularly important because of the uncertainty surrounding local government reorganisation.”
A spokesperson for Cheltenham Borough Council said the local lettings plan has been used successfully. “Clear, Hold, Build, is about breaking the impact organised criminality has on our communities,” a spokesperson said.
“It is about finding lasting, long-term, solutions that involve communities and partner agencies working together.
“The local lettings plan is one of the tools that we have used successfully in the areas of The Moors and St Pauls.
“It enables us to ensure that those with links to organised crime or with a history of causing anti-social behaviour are not housed within the areas therefore helping to limit their impact, allowing the council, working in partnership with our key partners, to build strong sustainable communities in line with our Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy where all of our residents can thrive.”