A consultation has been launched by Tendring District Council (TDC) to support the development of a Women’s Safety Charter for the district.

The aim is to gather the views of residents and visitors of all genders to identify what makes them feel unsafe when out and about in Tendring. The project is funded by the Police Fire and Crime Commissioner’s Safer Streets fund.

TDC is working with women’s safety consultant Karen Whybro, who has supported similar projects for Basildon and Colchester councils. The charter will help TDC to reinforce its message that behaviours which make women and girls feel unsafe in the district will not be tolerated.

Local businesses and organisations will be encouraged to pledge to prioritise women’s safety by ensuring their space is a safe, respectful, and inclusive place to be, with training made available to staff members.

Peter Kotz, TDC’s Cabinet Member responsible for community safety, said: “We work closely with the Tendring Community Safety Partnership to ensure the district is a safe place for people to live, work and visit. We are committed to working with our partners to improve quality of life for our residents by tackling crime and disorder and creating a safe environment where communities can feel safe, including for women and girls.”

Responses to the consultation, which is opent until April 22, can be made here.