GWENT'S Police and Crime Commissioner has secured almost £700,000 to support projects in neighbourhoods which are most affected by burglaries, vehicle thefts and robberies.

Jeff Cuthbert's office has been granted £699,564 as part of the UK Government’s Safer Streets Fund, which aims to promote projects to crack down on neighbourhood crimes.

The money will go towards measures proven to cut crime, including changes such as locked gates around alleyways, increased street-lighting and the installation of CCTV.  

Projects across Wales 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. 

READ MORE:

Mr Cuthbert was successful in two bids for funding, and a total of £1,704,437 has been awarded across the four Welsh PCCs.

The third round of the Safer Streets Fund has now opened, meaning forces can bid for a share of the £25 million fund for the year 2021/22.  

This next round of funding encourages police and local authorities to put forward plans aimed primarily at 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.

Police and Crime Commissioner Jeff Cuthbert said: “This is fantastic news and represents the result of many months of partnership work between my office, Gwent Police and the local authorities.

“The funding will be used to run two targeted crime prevention initiatives in Pillgwenlly in Newport and Rhymney in Caerphilly, building on existing work in these areas to prevent crime and keep our communities safe.”

Deputy chief constable Amanda Blakeman said: “We want all our communities to feel safe in the areas in which they live.

“All crime has a negative impact on the public so any measures we can take to tackle these issues and make people feel less fearful of crime is a step in the right direction.

“The tactics we will be using, led by our We Don’t Buy Crime team, are not only designed to prevent and reduce crime but also help people change their approach to keep themselves, their loved ones and their cherished items safe.”

National Police Chiefs’ Council chairman 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.”

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.  

“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.”