Police say anti-social behaviour in a Huddersfield community has been “slashed by more than half.”

Kirklees Police have hailed the success of a summer of engagement work in Ashbrow as part of the Unity: Shape Up and Clear, Hold, Build initiative.

The Ashbrow ward includes Bradley, Sheepridge, Deighton, Fixby, Brackenhall and Fartown.

West Yorkshire Police said during the school summer holidays, reports of anti-social behaviour fell by 53% compared to the same time last year.

This summer has seen regular youth club evenings at Northfield Hall and sports events organised by police and youth workers.

These events saw police officers play football and basketball with local young people. Other initiatives included a family fun day at Northfield Hall, organised by the Change Grow Live social care charity.

The Unity: Shape Up and Clear, Hold, Build initiative in Ashbrow between Kirklees Police and Kirklees Council was formally launched with two multi-agency days of action in November.

Clear, Hold, Build was developed by the Home Office to help police forces tackle serious and organised crime.

It is designed to reclaim and rebuild neighbourhoods affected by organised crime, make areas safer and increase public confidence in the police and partner agencies.

The first six months of the Unity: Shape Up initiative saw the ‘crime severity score’ reduce by 46% in the Ashbrow area.

During the ‘Clear’ enforcement phase from late September 2024, officers made 77 arrests, executed 13 warrants, and seized an estimated £165,000 worth of Class A and B drugs.

Chief Insp Rebecca Calpin, of Kirklees Police, said: “Unity Shape Up has made a significant impact in Ashbrow since its launch in 2024 and this is being reflected in both the feedback we are receiving from residents and in our crime figures.

“While a great deal of traditional ‘enforcement’ policing has been carried out to cut crime levels, community engagement can be just as important in preventing offending from occurring as our latest anti-social behaviour crime data shows.

“Partners in Community Shape Up have been really active across the summer to engage young people and families, and we have been pleased to support them.

“Our ‘Hold’ and ‘Build’ phases of the process remain ongoing with partners, aimed at delivering long term change in the community there.”

Plans have been submitted for the new-look £16.5 million Huddersfield Open Market