The Home Office has awarded Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) £42m through the Safer Streets Fund to build on current progress to tackle neighbourhood crime, violence against women and girls (VAWG) and anti-social behaviour.
As part of the fifth round of Safer Streets funding, PCCs will receive cash injections to invest in a range of prevention activities to make public spaces safer and reduce the fear of crime.
The scheme will run for an 18-month period between October 2023 and March 2025.
APCC Joint National Prevention Lead, Festus Akinbusoye said:
"I am delighted that police and crime commissioners have secured a further £42m of Safer Streets funding to complement their existing work targeting ASB, VAWG and neighbourhood crimes. The APCC has been instrumental in the delivery of this opportunity, gathering the views of PCCs and sharing them with the Home Office to inform how best to spend this funding.
“Prevention lies at the heart of our Police and Crime Plans. Across England and Wales, PCCs are working successfully with partners to reduce victims and increase feelings of safety in their communities. This new injection of funding will enable PCCs to build on these achievements and apply their local knowledge to deliver projects where they are most needed.
“The additional investment through Round 5 brings the total of Safer Streets funding to £167m since 2020, with 413 projects funded across England and Wales to date. PCCs already have a strong track record of delivering valuable preventative work through the scheme, employing interventions that not only prevent crime and help promote behavioural and attitudinal change, but also help reduce the fear of crime.
“PCCs have consulted with local authorities and other partners in their areas to identify how best to allocate this funding, which equates to roughly £1m per policing area. They will now utilise their unique abilities to bring partners together to ensure it is invested effectively and efficiently to deliver maximum impact.”
NOTES FOR EDITORS
- Festus Akinbusoye is Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire.
- More information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safer-streets-fund-round-five/safer-streets-fund