Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones, has announced further support of around £500,000 for community initiatives in her continuing campaign to drive down anti-social behaviour (ASB). The PCC’s ASB Fund supports local communities who are striving to make their neighbourhoods safer places to live, work and visit. The fund has an annual £200,000 pot and now a further £500,000 is being injected into it to further boost the battle to tackle ASB. It’s open to bids from local authorities, police, Community Safety Partnerships and community groups to provide partnership solutions to recurring anti-social behaviour issues. PCC Donna Jones has said:
“For too long, communities across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have been blighted by anti-social behaviour. Residents, businesses and neighbourhoods continually tell me that ASB makes them feel unsafe. “As Police Commissioner, tackling this scourge is always on my radar. I want to reassure everyone that I’m doing everything in my power to reverse this damaging and destructive behaviour. “As a collective, we can do more to bring neighbourhoods out from under the shadow of ASB. I am continually listening to communities across the two counties and I’ve enabled this further funding to be available for interventions and projects that make a real difference.”
The ASB Fund was launched by the PCC in July 2021. Since then anti-social behaviour has been on the decline in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. From April 2020 to March 2021, there were 37,325 recorded incidents. That figure went down to 29,201 for April 2021 to March 2022. The following year, April 2022 to March 2023, a total of 22,418 ASB incidents were recorded. Local MP Bob Seely is encouraging local groups to bid for the funding, saying:
“Our excellent Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones, has made this funding available to help tackle anti-social behaviour. “Donna and I have already met with Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council and staff at the West Wight Sports and Community Centre to tell them about the funding. “I want to see bids coming forward from Isle of Wight community groups, so if any other groups are considering putting in a bid, please do get in touch. I will happily support Isle of Wight bids.”
It has been confirmed that a youth outreach trial for Ryde has received funding. Local authorities, MPs and Community Safety Partnerships have been contacted informing them of the £500,000 cash injection. The bid application form and application guidance is available by emailing [email protected].
How about a youth club or a decent night club? Or better still a chance of a job… kids on the island have nothing to do…
No! We should put high pitched sirens on every street. Older people can’t hear it, but the young suffer. I have 2 in my garden, it’s so funny when someone goes past with a pram, the little monsters cry overtime.
Hopefully more spent on youth clubs, its a well known fact that kids turn to a life of crime when they are refused the chance of playing pingpong.
I somehow doubt if the youngsters who would be willing to go to a Youth Club are the same ones who are out on the streets causing trouble.
And, you’re really suggesting that half a million pounds of taxpayers money should be used to open a nightclub? Seriously?
These kids live on the Isle of Wight where there is so much to do but too many are just intent on trouble because there is no effective deterrent. Their parents are useless and the police do nothing.
Ooooh bob says our pcc is excellent,both of you are as much use as a chocolate teapot,take your knee pads of bob,twat!
election year is it?
we are not as stupid as you two look!
Jonny These two are the modern day Dynamic Duo, just that Batman and Robin got things done .. it’s the law enforcements and council job to deal with ASB .. or vigilante’s will creep in ( maybe not such a bad resolution) just the the PCC cannot see it .. headlines only .. loads of words but not much action ..
Go tackle some real crime go arrest some pedos or somin mate
Agree With top G
chucking money at these sort of people who cause grief to others and the community as a whole is a waste of funds , get them all together discuss what’s makes them a menace to society then think about resolving the issue ,,, good luck with that
If they were fined a decent sum when caught we wouldn’t have to provide any funding. Our magistrates are a waste of time.I certainly agree with bringing back Youth Clubs though, I think they would help a lot.
£500k would buy a lot of baseball bats.
Why not build some stocks around the island and put the likes of Greenwood & shoplifters in them daily ..sure that would bring the crime down ….
Perhaps some police officers on foot regularly patrolling anti-social behaviour hotspots could solve the issues? The £500,000 could be saved and may not necessitate the annual council tax increase for the police precept.