Knowsley Council has reported a 15% drop in anti‑social behaviour in Kirkby, Merseyside, in a ten‑month update on its five‑year Council Plan. The update — presented by Cllr Del Arnall in early February 2026 — highlighted new play facilities and progress on housing projects since the plan launched in April 2025. The report aims to show residents how local regeneration spending is being used to improve the town and reduce crime.
The update follows the council’s long‑running programme of town‑centre regeneration and housing investment, building on its 2019 buy‑back of Kirkby Town Centre. The council has also overseen the approval of hundreds of energy‑efficient homes (800 homes were approved in early 2025) and says it has delivered new play facilities and other green‑space improvements as part of the plan’s early wins. This work builds on the Kirkby Regeneration and Investment Plan submitted to government to secure funding through to 2030.
Local leaders, including Cllr Del Arnall (Knowsley Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care), say the next stage of the programme will focus on creating more youth programmes and delivering truly affordable housing for local families. Recent business reporting has also highlighted growth in the town’s shopping area and further retail development as central to the local economy, supporting a longer‑term shift toward a mixed‑use town where people can both live and shop.
Residents can share their views at public feedback sessions scheduled for mid‑to‑late February 2026. The council says these meetings are a key opportunity for the community to influence how the next tranche of government funding — expected from April 2026 — is allocated, and that feedback will help shape future projects for young people and affordable housing allocations.
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