Andy Munns
Almost one million pounds of additional funding will be invested in Wiltshire and Swindon to support targeted community projects tackling neighbourhood crime.
The money will be used to combat crimes such as burglary, robbery, theft and vehicle theft, as well as reducing violence against women and girls (VAWG).
This follows a successful bid from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) to the latest round of the Home Office’s “Safer Streets Fund” where £998,251 was secured from the £42M pot.
The OPCC worked with Swindon Borough Council and Wiltshire Council as well as the Community Safety Partnerships, which includes representatives from the Fire Service and the NHS, to identify areas where investment was needed and the organisations who could provide the services to meet those needs.
The money will be used across three projects and split between twelve separate schemes in Wiltshire focusing on a safer night-time economy, preventing burglary and anti-social behaviour (ASB) and improving mentoring services for young people.
The proposals for funding include:
VAWG – funding for night-time economy wardens in Salisbury, Chippenham and Trowbridge on Friday and Saturday evenings, along with Welfare And Vulnerability Engagement (WAVE) training for staff in licenced premises across Swindon and Wiltshire.
There’s also funding for four deployable CCTV cameras in Salisbury and additional CCTV cameras in Chippenham town centre.
ASB – funding to support vulnerable people in burglary hotspots through the Bobby Van Trust and a grant to make changes to the area surrounding the Salisbury Playhouse to prevent ASB.
Funding will also be provided to improve the reporting of crime and ASB in hotspot areas.
Youth Engagement – an extensive programme of detached youth work and mentoring in Swindon, Chippenham and Salisbury
Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said: “The latest figures show we’ve seen a 15% increase in knife crime compared to a 3% rise nationally in Swindon and Wiltshire.
“We need to get to the root cause of these offences and engage with young people before they’re dragged into situations they find difficult to get out of.
“This latest investment will allow my office, our new Serious Violence Duty Co-ordinator and our partners to work towards that goal through these projects.
“The projects address the issues that matter to people, such as anti-social behaviour, making the streets safer for women and girls, and burglary and robbery. This focus on prevention backs the work of Wiltshire Police as they get tough on offenders, reducing the number of innocent people becoming victims.
“By using this funding from Government efficiently and effectively, working in partnership, we will see projects that make a positive difference in these areas, delivering the priorities in my Police and Crime Plan to reduce violence and serious harm and to tackle crimes that matter to local communities.”
