Knife attacks are on the rise in Bexley despite it being one of the capital’s safest boroughs.

A refreshed strategy cracking down on youth violence and knife crime in the borough is is set to be brought forward by Bexley Council next week.

Bexley is traditionally one of London’s safest boroughs when it comes to crime figures.

However, according to a new report, knife crime surged 22 per cent between November 2017 and 2018. Across the rest of London, it only jumped 1.2 per cent.

The revamped plan calls for more awareness in what to look for with gangs and youth violence.

It comes a year after the London Knife Crime Strategy was launched,  committing every capital borough to have its own plans to tackle the problem.

“Tackling knife crime and serious violence in the borough cannot be the sole responsibility of the police,” Bexley’s new report says.

“The strategy encompasses early intervention/prevention, enforcement and support.

“Communities and local partnerships to be at the heart of our response.

“This issue must be understood and owned locally so that all the relevant partners can play their part, galvanising the local response to tackling serious violence and ensure that we are reflecting local challenges within our plans.”

Police numbers have fallen across the capital in recent years, and are set to drop to their lowest since 2002 unless new funding is found.

Bexley is not a named ‘gang borough’, meaning it has had no extra resources to tackle gangs, unlike other boroughs.

“A consequence of this is that gang activity can be displaced to ‘quieter’ neighbouring boroughs.

“A collaborative, multi-agency approach is key to tackling knife crime and

serious violence,” the report says.

Last year, Met commissioner Cressida Dick said knife crime had “levelled off” in London.

A violent crime taskforce was set up in the city in April following a spike in murders.

There were more than 130 homicides in 2018, the highest in a decade, and of those 77 were stabbings.

Bexley’s knife and serious violence action plan will be discussed at a meeting next Monday, January 21.