Local MP Robert Largan has welcomed the announcement that Derbyshire Police will receive £514,561 in extra funding as part of the Government’s £25 million Safer Streets Fund, delivering on a key manifesto commitment.
The Safer Streets Fund forms part of the Government’s concerted action to tackle crime, and aims to stop offences that blight communities and cause misery to victims from happening in the first place. The extra funding will be aimed at improving security in areas particularly affected by grasping crimes such as burglary, vehicle theft and robbery. These offences are the crimes that the public are most likely to encounter, and they are estimated to cost billions of pounds every year.
The £514,561 of extra funding will go towards measures proven to cut crime. These include simple changes to the design of streets, such as locked gates around alleyways, increased street-lighting and the installation of CCTV. The funding will also be used to train community wardens, deliver local crime prevention advice to residents, and establish Neighbourhood Watch schemes.
Police and Crime Commissioners were invited to bid for a share of the £25 million Safer Streets Fund in January, with each project eligible for a grant of up to £550,000. Bidders were asked to outline a plan to reduce crime within a local crime hotspot, demonstrating value for money, evidence of community engagement, and long-term sustainability.
This additional funding comes alongside the Government’s commitment to recruit 20,000 additional police officers over the next three years, and the £1.1 billion funding boost for the policing system for 2020-21.
Robert Largan MP commented:
“This new money will help fund proven crime-cutting measures in the High Peak, such as increased street lighting, CCTV and locked gates around alleyways. This will help prevent and reduce crime in the areas that need it most.
“I want people across the High Peak to feel secure in their communities, and to be able to live their lives free from the threat of crime. This extra funding for Derbyshire Police will help make that possible.”
