Principles met

  • We will develop systems that enable citizens to be equal partners in designing and commissioning public services and in determining the use of public resources.
  • We will embrace innovation in how we work with local communities to drive positive change.
  • We will capture and ‘expand’ the experience and learning from individual projects and approaches in order to encourage broader application of co-operative principles within individual member Councils and across the Network.
  • We will support the development of a framework and criteria for social value, giving substance to the concept and supporting Councils with the tools to ensure better local social and economic outcomes.
  • In exploring new ways of meeting the priority needs of our communities we will encourage models, such as co-operatives and mutuals, which give greater influence and voice to staff and users. in designing and commissioning public services and in determining the use of public resources.

The Building a Better Bedwell project was a place-based community safety and development programme delivered by Stevenage Borough Council in response to ongoing antisocial behaviour (ASB), crime, and social isolation in high rise accommodation in the Bedwell area of Stevenage.

Funded through the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Safer Streets Fund, the project combined visible safety improvements, multi-agency patrols, a community retail initiative, and long-term community development planning. Its holistic design was shaped by resident feedback and delivered in partnership with Hertfordshire Police, SPARX, Parkguard, and local voluntary groups.

The project began in December 2023 and concluded in March 2025, with activity centred around four integrated strands:

  • Neighbourhood Wardens (Daytime Safety & Support)
  • Parkguard Patrols (Evening Reassurance & Visibility)
  • SPARX Retail Initiative (Community Volunteering & Skills)
  • Built Environment Improvements (Security & Engagement Spaces)

For further information contact: