City receives £250k to create Safer Streets

Nearly £250,000 is to be invested in tackling neighbourhood crime after the City of Wolverhampton Council, West Midlands Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner were successful in a bid to the Home Office Safer Streets Fund.

The money will be used to clamp down on burglary, robbery, vehicle crime and theft in parts of Bilston and Ettingshall.

The investment, totalling £247,602, will see greater use of CCTV, multi-agency ‘days of action’ to tackle vehicle crime, targeting of problem properties, help for local community groups to raise awareness of crime prevention and the promotion and coordination of neighbourhood watch, street watch and active citizen groups.

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster said: “We know there are simple things that can be done to deter criminals and, working with the council, we intend to use this money to do them. We’ll tighten security where we think it can be tighter and we’ll make sure CCTV is fitted in crime hotspots."

Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “The Safer Streets Fund is designed to help tackle crime in specific neighbourhoods, making residents feel safer and reducing demand on the police.

“We are delighted to have received this funding which will be used specifically in areas of Bilston and Ettingshall with higher levels of neighbourhood crime. As well as having a real impact in the coming 12 months, the programme will also help us build evidence to strengthen the case for further investment in targeted crime prevention in the future.”

Superintendent Simon Inglis from Wolverhampton Police said: “This is a great opportunity to make a real and lasting impact in an area of Wolverhampton that has faced a multitude of challenges in the past few years.

“By using this money wisely we can ensure our joint agency efforts to reduce crime and deprivation are supported by technological advances in both cameras and lighting, which are proven to deter criminals and help the police secure successful prosecutions.

“I’m really pleased that this bid has been successful and the governance arrangements that are being put in place to manage the project will ensure the money is being spent in the rights areas and for the right reasons. The overall aim is to make this part of Bilston a much safer and prosperous place and the funding that has been provided will play a massive role in that ambition. It’s a great result for Bilston and the wider area of Wolverhampton.”

A multi-agency project group is now being established to oversee the delivery of the programme, reporting to the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership.