Published: Friday 27th October 2023 | 5.56pm
£500,000 is to be invested in preventing and addressing anti-social behaviour (ASB) and associated crime in Cannock as part of the Government’s Safer Streets Five Fund. This is following a successful bid by the Staffordshire Commissioner’s Office (SCO).
Longton and Tunstall in Stoke-on-Trent have also received £500,000 combined.
This programme has been designed, and locations identified, by the SCO. The investment will be allocated specifically in the Cannock South and Cannock West wards of the district.
This funding is in addition to almost £3 million already secured by the SCO through Safer Streets in rounds one, two, three and four, and forms part of Staffordshire’s preventative approach to reducing ASB more broadly.
Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime, Ben Adams said: “Tackling the anti-social behaviour that can harm our communities is a key priority in my Police & Crime Plan, as where these problems are repeated, residents can feel unsafe in their own neighbourhoods.
“This latest round of funding will help to boost the significant work already underway across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, combining practical measures like CCTV and improved lighting with education to change people’s behaviours - not only making our communities safer, but ensuring they feel safer too.”
The funding will provide a range of partnership interventions designed to help reduce ASB and improve people’s safety and confidence, including:
• Additional street lighting, gating, fences and CCTV, and environmental measures such as clearing rubbish and cutting back overgrown greenery on walking routes
• Street outreach workers delivering targeted engagement within local communities, including making referrals to appropriate networks and support agencies
• Educational programmes on ASB within schools’ Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education curriculum
• A street pastor or marshall scheme around the night-time economy and vulnerable locations, able to help identify, support and signpost vulnerable people to safe places and support
The interventions will cover the next 18 months between October 2023 and March 2025.
Amanda Milling, MP for Cannock Chase, said: “I very much welcome the funding that Ben Adams has secured from the government to continue to tackle anti-social behaviour in our area. I want residents to feel safe in our communities, however sadly ASB can have a real negative impact on how safe residents feel. I am therefore pleased that the Police Commissioner had made tackling ASB a priority and that further funding has been secured.”
Councillor Jo Elson, Portfolio Leader for Community Wellbeing at Cannock Chase Council said: “We are over the moon to receive £500,000 as part of the Safer Streets 5 Fund to tackle ASB in Cannock South and Cannock West wards. The funding will play a key role in preventing and reducing crime, which has been identified in these areas. CCTV, improved lighting, and environmental improvements will make it more difficult to commit a crime, ensuring our streets and communities feel safer.”
Chief Inspector Laura Morrey, Local Policing Commander for Cannock Chase said: “This is a really exciting opportunity. The additional investment will enable the Local Policing Team and the Council’s Community Safety Team to do even more to help keep our communities, and those who work and visit the district, safe. We are very grateful to the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for their work in securing this funding.”
Photograph:
Councillor Jo Elson, Portfolio Leader for Community Wellbeing at Cannock Chase Council.