OVER £600,000 AWARDED TO LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY NEIGHBOURHOOD CRIMES IN HAMPSHIRE

Police in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have been awarded a total of £600,030 to support key projects in locations affected by neighbourhood crimes like burglary, vehicle theft and robbery, following a competitive bidding process.   

40 areas across England and Wales have today been awarded a total of £18.3 million to make our streets safer through projects to crack down on neighbourhood crimes – with £2,391,096 being awarded in the South East region.

The money, from the Government’s Safer Streets Fund, will go towards measures proven to cut crime, including simple changes to the design of streets such as locked gates around alleyways, increased street-lighting and the installation of CCTV.

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The third round of the Safer Streets Fund also opens today, providing another opportunity to bid from a fund of £25 million for the year 2021/22.

This next round of funding will go beyond essential environmental measures like improved street lighting and encourage police and local authorities to secure innovative bids for plans primarily focused on helping make women and girls feel safer on the streets, as well as projects which could include an emphasis on changing attitudes and behaviours in local communities.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:

“I will not stand by while criminals inflict fear and misery on our communities, which is why I launched the Safer Streets Fund to improve security in areas blighted by crimes like burglary, robbery and theft.

“But it’s more than just environmental change – we need to prevent people from committing these offences in the first place as we build back safer.

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“That is why the next round will rightly look at behaviour change, with a primary focus on women and girls who are disproportionately affected by crimes like harassment in public places.”

Association of Police and Crime Commissioners Prevention lead Roger Hirst said:

“Today’s announcement of £20m Safer Streets funding reflects the Government’s confidence in elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to effectively recognise local areas of need and deliver evidence-based crime prevention initiatives.

“The Safer Streets Fund allows PCCs to work with local partners in areas that are disproportionately affected by neighbourhood and acquisitive crime, investing in preventative approaches to make communities safer. Preventing crime in the first place is better for the public and reduces demand on policing, as demonstrated by the first round of Safer Streets announced in 2020, which funded 52 projects across 35 PCC areas.

“I also warmly welcome the launch of Round 3 of the Fund, which aims to increase the safety of public spaces, with a specific focus on the safety of women and girls.

“This additional £25m fund has been made available to PCCs to deliver a range of interventions including CCTV, street lighting, educational products and neighbourhood watch schemes. PCCs will now work in close consultation with representative groups and those with lived experience to ensure voices of women and girls are at the forefront of their applications.”

Safer Streets is just one of the ways the Government is working to tackle violence against women and girls.  In March, the Home Office reopened its call for evidence on violence against women and girls, to hear views on this hugely important issue.

Over 180,000 responses were received and are helping to inform the new cross-government Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy and complementary Domestic Abuse Strategy, which will be published later this year.

The Home Office is also working closely with police on a new online tool, aimed primarily at women and girls, which will allow people to pinpoint locations in their local area where they have felt unsafe.

Since its inception last year, the Safer Streets Fund has allowed forces to invest in transformative crime prevention initiatives. Examples of funding in the South East include:

• ‘Defenda strip’ (anti climb spikes) and signage of vulnerable rear fences and walls in Kent, combined with property marking and CCTV doorbells.
• Increasing CCTV and street lighting in Sussex; distribution of crime prevention advice to residents including target hardening measures such as improved fencing and alley gates, and partnership work with businesses in the local community.
• Fencing, environmental works and alleygating in Hampshire to reduce opportunities and improve natural surveillance; restoring community buildings to act as a community hub.

Projects across the country have also focused on setting up Neighbourhood Watch groups, increased Automated Numberplate Recognition Technology and CCTV and introducing wardens to undertake community engagement and train members of the public in crime prevention.

National Police Chiefs’ Council Chair, Martin Hewitt said:

“Neighbourhood crimes such as burglary and theft have a detrimental effect on local communities, with people often scared to leave their homes.

“We know that better street lighting or CCTV can do a lot to prevent crime, which is why we welcome the latest round of the Safer Streets Funding to ensure projects can continue to have a positive impact on the communities that are hardest hit.

“We also know that changing attitudes is key in the long run, which is why police and local authorities are being encouraged to focus new bids on behaviour change and community engagement.”