The Home Office has announced who’s getting money from the Safer Streets Fund, as launched in October 2019. A police force could bid for grants of up to £550,000, to PCCs in England and Wales for projects to improve security in areas particularly affected by acquisitive crimes such as burglary, vehicle theft and robbery. The money will go on such things as locked gates around alleyways, street lighting and public space CCTV; training of community wardens, local crime prevention advice to residents and setting up of Neighbourhood Watch schemes.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “I will not stand by while criminals inflict fear and misery on our communities. That is why I set up this fund to ensure we are doing all we can to prevent people falling victim to these crimes.”
Home Office Crime and Policing Minister Kit Malthouse said: “Persistent street crime and burglary have a corrosive effect on a neighbourhood, leaving people apprehensive about leaving their homes, and afraid of what they might encounter when they return. But simple modifications like better street lighting or CCTV can do a lot to prevent crime.
“So alongside more focussed thief-taking by the police, these projects should have a big impact on the communities hardest hit by burglars, robbers and villains in general.”
More than £1m each went to Cleveland, Leicestershire, North Wales, Northamptonshire and Staffordshire (for more than one bid). The total funding awarded was £22.4m.
In Staffordshire, the money will go on Stoke-on-Trent; in Fenton and Northwood householders can have replacement of insecure doors and windows, installation of security gates, lighting and fitting of intruder alarms and home CCTV systems. Re-deployable CCTV cameras will also be available to crime hotspots besides CCTV systems for properties.
Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire and Rescue and Crime, Matthew Ellis said: ‘The impact of burglary and theft on individuals and their communities is significant, which is why this investment is more important than ever before, especially with the additional challenges currently affecting our way of life. We will continue to work closely with partners to effectively cut crime such as burglary and theft, but this substantial grant provides a real opportunity for us to positively impact on the quality of life of those living in areas particularly affected by these crimes.’
For Leicestershire, money was awarded to the PCC for three bids: £549,998 for an area in Westcotes that includes Narborough Road and neighbouring streets; £549,999 for the Warwick Way and Dishley estates in Loughborough; and £418,309 for Braunstone Frith (including De Montfort University student volunteers who will distribute property marking kits, as at Westcotes).
Meanwhile around 100 cameras will be added to the ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) network in Northamptonshire; including more mobile ANPR in police vehicles and mobile rapid deployment cameras; to be in place by next spring, the shire force reports.
