Bracknell's Women's Safety Charter Gains Momentum

Bracknell Forest Council leader Helen Purnell's borough-wide Women's Safety Charter is gaining cross-party attention - parties back the idea but want firmer plans on delivery.

Launched earlier this year and inspired by London's Night Safety Charter, the scheme asks schools, gyms, hospitality venues, transport providers and major employers to sign up.

Cllr Purnell said she wanted "something positive" to emerge, with tackling violence against women and girls at the centre.

Conservative leader Cllr Gareth Barnard welcomed the charter but asked if the groundwork had been done. He said: "It's great to have a charter that people can sign up to, but there are multiple organisations in our borough... who have a duty. Are we confident that all those bodies are doing what they should do... and have we audited and understood what's going on?"

Responding, Cllr Purnell said: "There's a toolkit for businesses, for operations, and it will find out that information."

Conservative Cllr Tina McKenzie-Boyle also backed the aim but warned against tokenism. She said: "Let's hope this charter is robust and actually means and does something... I'm nervous that it's a tick in the box activity... All very good on what we want, but it would be better on how to deliver." She added: "We've heard nothing from him on strategy."

Liberal Democrat leader Mike Forster has pushed for stronger scrutiny and measurable progress. He said: "We are very supportive of Helen Purnell's initiative... With over 50 per cent of women having experienced harassment in the workplace it is essential that we break this cycle, and the charter proposed is a necessary step in the right direction."

Cllr Barnard reiterated Conservative support for "practical measures" but cautioned that "just producing a charter on a piece of paper is not in itself a satisfactory way forward", arguing that identifying gaps in existing provision must come first.

Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter