AGENCIES across Warwickshire have secured funding of £249,000 from the Home Office’s Safer Streets fund.
The fund is allocated to projects designed to reduce violence against women and girls and to increase feelings of safety in public spaces.
The agencies involved, including Warwickshire County Council, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire, Warwickshire Police, Warwickshire’s borough and district councils, the Probation Service and the Equality & Inclusion Partnership (EQuIP), have used the funding for projects in targeted areas across Warwickshire. These areas include Alcester, Leamington and Rugby.
Following consultation with local residents, agencies are undertaking works in each of the five areas to ensure local streets are safer. In addition, a Virtual Reality module is being developed to raise awareness of the effects of misogyny on women and girls.
Coun Andy Crump, Portfolio Holder for Fire & Rescue and Community Safety, said: “As part of the Council’s priorities, we work hard to ensure residents are kept safe and well. Safer Streets and the funding from National Government highlight the positive works that are being carried out to ensure all residents feel safer when out and about in their own neighbourhoods.”
In order to further engage with residents from the focused areas, the Safer Streets team will be holding community engagement days over the coming week. Specific dates are as follows:
Monday March 21 1pm – 3pm at Brunswick Hub – 98-100 Shrubland St, Leamington
Monday March 21 11am – 2pm at Kinwarton Road shopping precinct, Alcester
Thursday March 24 12pm – 2pm at Rugby College (College students only)
Residents in these areas do not need to book and are encouraged to come and talk to partners about safety in their neighbourhoods.
Ch Supt Emma Bastone, head of local policing for Warwickshire Police, said: “The Safer Streets fund allows forces and local partners to work with the local community to address their concerns. These events will be a great opportunity for local people to let us know their concerns so we can invest in preventative measures to make our communities safer.”
Philip Seccombe, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, saidhe was dedicated to tackling the issue of violence against women and girls and working with partners to ensure people felt safe in public spaces in the county.
He added: “Everyone has the right to feel safe and I am delighted that the safer streets project is enabling engagement with residents to ensure their voices are heard and together with the police, Warwickshire County Council, and other local authority partners, action can be taken to address the issues raised. We strongly encourage people to attend these engagement events to share their concerns and suggestions about how we can work together to make Warwickshire safer, as well as hearing what action has already been taken in their respective areas.”
Residents can access further information and have their say via an online comment form.
To access the form go to www.safeinwarwickshire.com/safer-streets/ and click on the thumbs images at the bottom of the page.
Concerns about safety in any area of the county can also be reported on the national StreetSafe portal – www.police.uk/streetsafe.
StreetSafe enables members of the public to anonymously drop a pin onto a map and describe factors that caused them concern, including behavioural or environmental reasons why they felt unsafe.
For further information about Safer Streets please go to www.safeinwarwickshire.com/safer-streets/
