All police forces in England and Wales are now delivering what is called neighbourhood policing. This new approach to policing offers communities many advantages including their own dedicated policing team and a greater say in how they are policed. Neighbourhood policing is about making sure that the police, working together with other agencies, provide the service that people want by tackling the issues that are important to them.

For the purpose of introducing neighbourhood policing, the definition of a neighbourhood is: “A geographic area defined through local agreement of police, partners and citizens and of a size and character that best serves the needs of the local community and permits effective delivery.” In Greater Manchester, the police recognise areas defined locally that are called “neighbourhood communities”. These can be grouped together into broader geographic “neighbourhood areas”, which together make-up the 10 boroughs of the city region.