Last week, we welcomed partners from policing, local authorities, housing and the voluntary sector to Youggle House for our second annual Big Debate.
Hosted by journalist and broadcaster Lucy Meacock, the event focused on the real challenges facing our communities, from reduced youth services and rising vulnerability to the growing pressure on frontline teams.
Our panel brought together a mix of sector experts, including our CEO, Jacque Allen, Charlotte Nichols MP, Member of Parliament for Warrington North, Rebecca Bryant OBE, CEO, Resolve, Sharon Cooper, Director of Children’s Services, Warrington Borough Council and Rob McLoughlin, Chief Inspector, Cheshire Police.
They explored everything from early intervention and safeguarding to the day‑to‑day realities of policing, youth work and housing support.
A clear theme throughout the session was the need for better consistency, clearer processes and stronger joint working when supporting people affected by ASB, hate crime or exploitation. Attendees also highlighted the importance of improving communication and sharing intelligence to make sure anyone who needs help can access it quickly and confidently.
Our CEO, Jacque said “Bringing together partners from housing, policing, local authorities and community organisations shows just how committed we all are to tackling the challenges our communities face. It’s really important that we have open, honest conversations with our partners about how we can do things differently and work better together. Meaningful change only happens when we work together, share our insight and support one another. I want to thank everyone who joined us, especially our panel, for their time, expertise and willingness to collaborate.”
Rob McLoughlin, Chief Inspector at Cheshire Police, said “I was pleased to take part in the event and genuinely humbled by the passion and insight shared by fellow panel members and attendees. Tackling ASB and the more hidden harm within our communities is a shared responsibility. As the police, we know we cannot ‘arrest our way’ out of every problem. Effective partnership working is essential, and it was encouraging to see all agencies fully embracing that message.”
Sharon Cooper, Director of Children’s Services at Warrington Borough Council, said “I thoroughly enjoyed the event, particularly listening to partner agency perspectives about complex and key issues we all deal with daily. Prevention starts on Day 1 and the relationships we have with the adults, children, and the partner agencies we work alongside is key to understanding how we can move forward collectively”
Rebecca Bryant OBE, CEO of Resolve, said “Events like The Big Debate show the real power of partnership. No single organisation can tackle anti‑social behaviour or exploitation alone, it takes shared insight, shared responsibility and a shared commitment to doing better for our communities. Today’s discussion highlighted not only the challenges we face, but the willingness across all sectors to work differently and more effectively together.”
We're looking forward to working together, to ensure more people have a safe place to call home.