A new Safer Neighbourhoods officer has been appointed by the support team for Chesterfield Community Safety Partnership, which works to cut crime and fear of crime throughout Chesterfield Borough.

Marsha Mann joins the team from a post as Volunteer Co-ordinator in Mansfield, but she is no stranger to Chesterfield, having attended college here and living in Newbold and Inkersall for three years.

“I certainly feel that I have an affinity with the Borough,” 36-year-old Marsha says, “and am delighted to be back here, working to help tackle crime and disorder and to reassure people.”

One of Marsha’s first tasks is to organise and provide members of the Partnership with Section 17 training  - designed to ensure that in carrying out their day to day work those responsible for activities such as planning, consumer and environmental protection, housing and transport contribute to reducing crime and improving the quality of life for everyone.

The Partnership recently launched its plan for 2008 to 2011 in which it set out the key crime types it aims to tackle over the period. These are Violent Crime, Anti-Social Behaviour and Theft, and Marsha will be working on a range of projects designed to reduce these and to reassure those who live in, work in and visit the Borough.

She will also be helping to ensure the Safer Chesterfield programme, designed to deal with the concerns and issues of individual communities, continues to develop throughout the Borough.

Chair of the Partnership, Councillor Mark Higginbottom, said: “On behalf of the Partnership I would like to welcome Marsha to the team. Her previous work with Safer Neighbourhood teams and her knowledge of the area provide her with invaluable experience and we are confident everyone will welcome and support her.”

The other members of Chesterfield Community Safety Partnership support team, which is based at the Town Hall, are Community Safety Officer Julie Otter, Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinator Dianne Illsley and Partnership Sergeant Rob Smith.