People must feel safe and secure in our green spaces

But are they safe spaces to be?

Crime statistics from crimerate.co.uk show the most commonly committed crimes in Sheffield are violence and sexual offences, a category which includes crimes such as homicide, stalking, harassment and rape.

This fact isn’t uncommon for a large city – the same is true for eight of the ten biggest cities in England and Wales.

But, at number five on this list, Sheffield is unique in how quickly the rate of these offences seems to be increasing.

According to data analysed by Tom Buck, the data scientist who founded crimerate.co.uk, Sheffield is the only one of these cities to see its violence and sexual offences more than double in the past few years.

In 2016, they accounted for 12 per cent of all crime. In 2020, that figure had risen to 27.6 per cent.

And this research data suggests these kinds of crimes are likely to occur in or near parks and open spaces.

Since 2013, there have been 535 violence and sexual offences to have occurred in these spaces, with418 of them occurring since 2016.

Of all open spaces, the research suggests ones defined by Ordnance Survey as ‘playing fields’ and ‘public parks or gardens’ present the highest risk.

The latter have seen 156 offences of this kind committed within them.

For playing fields, it’s 315.

With nearly a quarter of Sheffield – 22.1 per cent – classed as green space, it’s one of the top ten greenest cities in the UK.

Of approximately 84 parks, gardens, and open spaces, only four have street lighting, according to Coun Mary Lea, who was cabinet member for culture, parks and leisure until last week’s elections.

Sheffield is a city that takes great pride in being one of the greenest in Europe.

And it is a beautiful blend of green and urban space.

But if these green spaces are to be fully enjoyed, it seems greater steps must be taken to help all visitors feel safe and secure.