Some £1.2m – or about £10,000 to £40,000 per project – is going to neighbourhoods to tackle anti-social behaviour, announced Home Office Minister Hazel Blears.
Some 88 projects have been allocated money for physical environmental improvements to areas affected by anti-social behaviour. Spaces such as children’s play areas, communal walkways and pathways and alleyways behind houses will be given make-overs, the Government says.
What they say
Launching the second phase of funding for Operation Gate-It, Ms Blears said: “We are committed to tackling anti-social behaviour. It is completely unacceptable that there are many people unable to make full use of communal facilities and areas where they live simply because they have been taken over by groups of individuals intent on creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. By reinvesting in these areas, through better design, lighting or simply gating them off, local people are able to reclaim these spaces for themselves and their children, and so drive out the anti-social minority.
“Operation Gate-It has been extremely successful in turning round some very run down and badly-maintained areas, and today’s funding will enable many more areas to benefit from Groundwork’s expertise and ideas.”
Tony Hawkhead, chief executive of Groundwork said: “A poor quality local environment can become a magnet for anti-social behaviour leading to a real fear of crime amongst residents. In our experience giving people, both young and old, the help and support to make practical changes to their shared surroundings can go a long way towards addressing these problems and can sometimes kick-start a wider process of renewal. As a result people feel safer, environmental inequalities are reduced and improvements last.”
Of the projects, 77 will each receive a grant of £10,000 and a further 11 projects from the first year of Gate-It will be awarded of £40,000. Operation Gate-It was launched by Home Office Minister Hazel Blears in June 2004 as part of the TOGETHER campaign to tackle anti-social behaviour. It is managed by the environmental charity Groundwork UKand delivered in partnership with BTCV (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers), and is now in its second year. Gate-It aims to regenerate and empower communities across England and Walesto design out crime and opportunities for joy-riding, burglary, assault, intimidation, vandalism and graffiti by installing gates, fencing, lighting, bollards and CCTV.
