City's new safety charter gets mixed response

Police, the city council and business leaders are launching a "safety charter" to try to make Exeter "safe, inclusive and welcoming" for everyone.

The people behind the charter have acknowledged the city "has its challenges" with anti-social behaviour affecting residents, workers, students and businesses.

They said increased security and better use of technology could tackle and reduce problems.

But a Devon County Council member for the city dismissed the charter as "a gimmick" that would not achieve anything in terms of making Exeter a safer place.

Laura Wright, deputy leader of Exeter City Council, denied the charter was "a gimmick" and said safety was improving.

She said the number of CCTV cameras had been increased with more staff in the CCTV control room.

The father of Lorraine Cox, a woman murdered in the city centre on a night out, had previously called for better CCTV coverage to improve safety.

A pilot scheme for a Community Safety Team - with council staff patrolling the city centre - was first launched in August 2024 and has now been made permanent.

Wright said: "The Community Safety Charter is a real commitment by key partners to continue working to make sure we can quickly deal with any issues and focus on solutions."

Insp Nathan Johnson, of Devon and Cornwall Police, who leads the neighbourhood policing team in Exeter, said there had been an increase in foot patrols in the city centre.

He said: "As a team, we are always looking for innovative ways to reclaim contested spaces, and we will continue working with partners and networks to implement creative solutions and help build a safer city for all."

Nicola Wheeler, chief executive of the city's business improvement district, InExeter, said Exeter was "far from alone in facing challenges around anti-social behaviour".

But she said people in Exeter could "feel genuinely proud" of the "collective effort, the commitment shown by partners, and the positive difference this is making for our city".

Neil Stevens, Reform UK member of Devon County Council for Alphington and Cowick, said the Community Safety Charter would not make the city any safer.

He said: "This is, in my eyes, just a gimmick, a paper exercise to say Exeter is safe.

"We need people on the ground, boots on the ground, we need enforcement - people getting punished if they step out of line."

An Exeter City Council meeting heard in September 2025 that secondary school students felt unsafe in the Sidwell Street area "due to alcohol, drug use, and violence".

Sonya Ellis, owner of the Exeter Craft Hub on Sidwell Street, said better communication between businesses had helped to improve safety issues but there were still problems in the city.

She said: "I don't think enough is being done - there needs to be investment in helping these people before they become this sort of problem.

"Just putting a sticking plaster over the top is not going to help - it helps us as shopkeepers but, actually, if we can prevent the issues to start with by finding accommodation and support for mental health - there's a gaping void."

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