Funding to address anti-social behaviour, neighbourhood crime and violence against women and girls has been welcomed by Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion.
In its fifth round, £60 million has been made available by the Home Office with PCCs across England and Wales set to receive an equal share of the pot.
There are 43 PCCs across England and Wales with individual PCCs able to bid for more than £1.3 million.
Over the past three years, a total of more than £3 million has been secured by the PCC and partners from the Government’s Safer Streets fund, which has contributed to a safer West Mercia.
Last year, PCC John Campion received an investment of just over £1.7 million from the Safer Streets 4 fund.
To protect women and girls, almost £400,000 of the funding was implemented across West Mercia for StreetWatch schemes to be increased and a digital platform set-up for volunteers to support victims.
The rest of the funding was divided between three areas of West Mercia, with an investment in Telford and Wrekin of £490,881 to contribute to initiatives such as the deployment of housing enforcement officers to improve security and living conditions and tackle anti-social behaviour, as well as improving licensing practices.
In Herefordshire, £344,785 was invested towards landscaping improvements to make communities safer, a local education programme for partners working in the night-time economy, schools and colleges, to understand sexually harmful behaviours and developing Herefordshire’s ‘Time to change’ campaign to reduce violence against women and girls.
In Shropshire, £548,178 has gone towards a campaign to relaunch the public space protection order to prevent and prosecute anti-social behaviour, security and taxi marshals to support the police, increase confidence and reduce anti-social behaviour and improved lighting, signage and throwlines along the River Severn to reduce the risk of drowning.
PCC John Campion said: “I welcome today’s landmark announcement by the Home Office which will undoubtedly make a huge difference to communities in West Mercia.
“It also shows the Government’s trust in Commissioners to deliver for the communities they represent. For the first time in the history of the Safer Streets fund, Commissioners are being empowered to bid for an equal share of funding where previously West Mercia would lose out to high crime areas like the West Midlands.
“This is a momentous step forward, and as your voice in policing, I will ensure I continue to work tirelessly to deliver on your policing priorities.”
