Tackling street gang culture and youth violence is to be prioritised in a new safety plan which aims to reduce crime in Sheffield – which was 114 per cent above the national average in 2024.

A committee meeting will be held on Monday 31 March where councillors will discuss a new Sheffield Crime and Disorder Strategy that will last three years.

Councillor Kurtis Crossland, chair of the communities, parks and leisure committee, said: “Safety underpins our ambitions to ensure the city is prosperous and where all our residents can thrive.”

The Safer Sheffield Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy 2025-2028 has identified the following priorities: dangerous driving; rough sleeping; cleaner city; radicalisation/extremism; street gang culture/youth violence; education to improve other people’s lives.

Coun Crossland added: “Being a victim of crime can be personally traumatic and reports of crime and disorder in your local neighbourhood can impact how you feel about where you live.”

Aaron Dhadda, 20, from Broomhill, said: “You look at popular places for going out such as West Street and you see horrible events happening out of the blue.

“It puts people off going out and enjoying their free time due to fear of their safety.”

The council will also be working with South Yorkshire Police to implement its new strategy.

Superintendent Paul Ferguson, of South Yorkshire Police said: “We are fully committed to further lowering crime rates and tackling anti-social behaviour – primarily through our dedicated Neighbourhood Policing Teams.

“We’ll continue to support ambitious redevelopment work with the ultimate aim of making Sheffield a safer city to live, work in, and visit.”

Sheffield’s city centre ranks as the most dangerous area, with 8,938 recorded crimes and a crime rate of 152 per 1,000 people.

P James, 45, from Kelham Island, said: “Generally I have always found Sheffield to be a very safe city, I chose to raise my daughters here because of this.

“I’ve lived in Kelham Island for over a decade now and we have never encountered anything that could be considered a major crime.”

Mr James has suggested ‘more police’ on the streets in order to make the city safer, but has warned this could have the ‘opposite effect’.