WEST Mercia’s police and crime commissioner has called on the government to set out how it will support local policing as it announces an end of the Safer Streets fund.
The Home Office has announced the fund, launched in 2020 with five different rounds, will not continue into the next financial year.
West Mercia has benefited from millions of pounds of funding over the past four years which has focused on tackling public policing priorities including anti-social behaviour, violence against women and girls, and neighbourhood crime.
Responding to the news, Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said: “Over the past five years, the previous government’s Safer Streets programme has delivered projects that have made a real difference across West Mercia.
“Its legacy is a positive one, and it only highlights that decisions made on a local level about how money from central government should be spent, really works.
“I would urge the current government to learn from that success by ensuring Police and Crime Commissioners continue to be backed with the resources they need to deliver change for local communities.
“Now is not the time for gimmicks and whilst I understand it’s a decision for the government of the day to rebrand and rebadge, it must clearly set out how its future national plans support work taking place in West Mercia to deliver safer and stronger communities.”
In correspondence received by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner West Mercia, the Home Office thanked them for the commitment to delivering the fund.
The Home Office stated that the government ‘remains fully committed to reducing harm and restoring public confidence in policing’.
The senior responsible officer for the Safer Streets Fund added that there is a commitment to strengthening neighbourhood policing by delivering 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs and special constables, with £200 million provided to kickstart the recruitment.
The Home Office spokesperson added: “Your contributions have played a vital role in helping to tackle neighbourhood crime, anti-social behaviour and violence against women and girls, and we appreciate the time, effort and resources you have invested.”
