AN action plan which will use a number of intelligence sources to identify “hate crime hot spots” looks set to be launched after figures revealed incidents rose by 66 per cent in two years.

The Essex County Council data shows reported hate crime in Essex rose from 1,079 incidents in 2015-2016, to 1,931 in 2016-2017.

The figures were broken down into five categories including race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation and disability.

Reported incidents of religiously motivated hate crime rose a by staggering 223 per cent, to 126 crimes, in 2016-17.

And hate crimes motivated by gender identity rose 162 per cent to 34 crimes in 2016-17.

The county council’s cabinet is next week set to endorse its Essex Hate Crime Prevention Strategy - a three year action plan in response to the figures.

A report to the cabinet states: “This reflects a greater number of incidents, as well as increases in reporting and public awareness.

“These increases serve as a mandate for the development of a countywide strategy to tackle the root causes of hate crime and promote community confidence in engaging with the criminal justice system and other partners.”

A five-point action plan in the report details how the partnership delivering the strategy will: “Utilise multiple intelligence sources regarding the prevalence, nature, and locus of hate crime and hate incidents in Essex to determine emerging trends and hot-spot areas.”

It will also address prevention of hate crime by supporting educational work in Essex schools.

The work of the county’s 450 Hate Crime Ambassadors and the 39 Hate Incident Reporting Centres will be better co-ordinated.

Access to support for victims will also be increased and the plan pledges to help victims access the police, criminal justice system and support services easier.

In addition the plan states the strategy will make sure “a wide range of appropriate outcomes are available for dealing with hate crime”.

The strategy is due to be launched next month.

The Strategic Hate Crime Prevention Partnership, leading the plan, includes Essex Police, Essex District and Borough Councils, the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, the Crown Prosecution Service, and Victim Support.

It will be overseen by the Safer Essex Board which is chaired by Ian Davidson, Chief Executive of Tendring Council.

Once the hate crime strategy is launched it will be publicised widely.

Mr Davidson said: “Hate crime is absolutely deplorable and it is right that we take active steps to tackle this growing issue in our diverse county.

“It can cause great distress for victims, and have a knock-on effect on whole communities, which is why this strategy is so important.”

“We can only tackle hate crime by working together – as police, as councils, voluntary and faith organisations and all of our other partners – to make it clear that this offence will not be tolerated.”

He added: “This strategy will tackle hate crime by better understanding it, improving our response to it, providing more support to victims and encouraging them to report incidents.“Critically, the strategy also looks at ways of preventing hate crime – by working in hot-spot areas and by increasing education within schools and communities.”

He added the strategy will also look at how to prevent hate crime.