MORE must be done to make the borough’s night-time economy safer following a rise in violent crimes, the Police and Crime Commissioner has said.

New figures released today by the Office of National Statistics show an 2.2 per cent reduction in recorded crime in Cheshire for the year to March 31, 2016.

Vehicle crime has dropped by 17.2 per cent and recorded burglaries have fallen by 16 per cent.

However violent crimes against a person – which includes modern slavery, serious assaults, death by dangerous driving, attempted murder and stalking and harassment – has risen by 16 per cent.

David Keane, Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, said: “Any reduction in crime statistics is to be welcomed – and particularly in areas like burglary and vehicle crime.

“It’s a credit to the hard work of officers and staff which I’ve seen first-hand over the last two months.

“This has been reflected in what the public are telling me as I travel the county listening to residents as I develop Cheshire’s new Police and Crime Plan.

“But I’ve also heard their concerns about the night-time economy in some of our towns.

“I want to see more being done to further tackle public disorder, drug and alcohol abuse, which can make people wary about visiting our town centres in the evening.

“I’ve spoken to the Chief Constable about this, and I will also be challenging my colleagues in local government, on licensing committees, and elsewhere to play their part in helping us to tackle this issue.”

Chief Constable Simon Byrne said the force are taking ‘firm action’ against ‘bars and clubs that aren’t keeping our young people safe’.

He said the force will 'continue to work actively to hold businesses to account that we believe aren’t adequately protecting their customers’.

The overall reduction in recorded crime figures makes this the tenth consecutive year of falling recorded crime figures in the county.

Cheshire one of only four areas in England and Wales where crime figures continue to fall.

“Many of the crimes that worry our residents have seen falls – like burglary and car crime,” Mr Byrne said.

“And while violence against the person has increased, it’s important to put this into context, and to highlight the work the force is doing, alongside local councils, to make our towns and villages safer, especially in the evenings.”