THE Home Offic has granted Gwent Police extra funds to improve the safety conditions for public spaces in Newport and Abergavenny.

The focus is on improving the safety for women and girls in these spaces and comes from the Safer Streets Fund.

In total, £673,181 has been granted to Gwent Police for this purpose - the highest amount given to any Welsh force.

£395,225 has been granted for use in the Stow Hill and Victoria areas of Newport, while £227,956 has bee granted to Grofield and Priory wards in Abergavenny.

An educational programme will be provided in local schools, universities and businesses to help change unacceptable attitudes and behaviours towards women and girls, to provide safety advice and encourage reporting of crimes.

Additional street lighting, lighting bollards, CCTV cameras (including use of covert cameras) and gates in alleys will be installed in crime hotspots.

A safe space business scheme will be set up for local business to be able to provide a place of safety for women and girls to access help and support.

Mobile community safety guardians will patrol  Newport city centre and Abergavenny town centre.

DCC Amanda Blakeman said: "Everyone has a right to feel safe in our communities.

"With the current national picture this funding is a timely opportunity to make our community safer for girls and women by tackling the issues we have identified today, and educating our young people to make a difference for the future."

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Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent Jeff Cuthbert said: "This targeted funding will help Gwent Police and partners to take a holistic approach to the problem.

"It will allow us to invest in education to raise awareness of healthy relationships and unacceptable behaviours from an early age, and also install appropriate infrastructure to help protect residents and reassure them that they are safe in their communities."