Part I Prevention of crime and disorder

Chapter I England and Wales

Miscellaneous and supplemental

I117 Duty to consider crime and disorder implications.

1

Without prejudice to any other obligation imposed on it, it shall be the duty of each authority to which this section applies to exercise its various functions with due regard to the likely effect of the exercise of those functions on, and the need to do all that it reasonably can to prevent,

F1a

crime and disorder in its area (including anti-social and other behaviour adversely affecting the local environment); and

b

the misuse of drugs, alcohol and other substances in its areaF2; and

c

re-offending in its areaF12; and

d

serious violence in its area.

F131A

The duty imposed on an authority by subsection (1) to do all it reasonably can to prevent serious violence in its area is a duty on the authority to do all it reasonably can to—

a

prevent people from becoming involved in serious violence in its area, and

b

reduce instances of serious violence in its area.

F32

This section applies to each of the following—

  • a local authority;

  • a joint authority;

  • F11a corporate joint committee established by regulations made under Part 5 of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 (asc 1);

  • F4a combined authority established under section 103 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009;

  • F15a combined county authority established under section 9(1) of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023;

  • F9the London Fire Commissioner;

  • a fire and rescue authority constituted by a scheme under section 2 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 or a scheme to which section 4 of that Act applies;

  • F10a fire and rescue authority created by an order under section 4A of that Act;

  • a metropolitan county fire authority;

  • F5a local policing body;

  • a National Park authority;

  • the Broads Authority;

  • F6the Greater London Authority;

  • F8...

  • Transport for London.

3

In this section—

  • “local authority” means a local authority within the meaning given by section 270(1) of the M1Local Government Act 1972 or the Common Council of the City of London;

  • “joint authority” has the same meaning as in the M2Local Government Act 1985;

  • “National Park authority” means an authority established under section 63 of the M3Environment Act 1995.

F74

The appropriate national authority may by order amend this section by—

a

adding an entry for any person or body to the list of authorities in subsection (2),

b

altering or repealing any entry for the time being included in the list, or

c

adding, altering or repealing provisions for the interpretation of entries in the list.

5

In subsection (4) “the appropriate national authority” has the same meaning as in section 5.

F146

References in this section to serious violence and to becoming involved in serious violence are to be construed in accordance with section 18.