Preston secures safer streets funding

A map showing the areas to be covered by the Government’s Safer Streets Fund

Parts of Preston City Centre are set to become safer thanks to new Home Office funding.

Preston City Council has won a bid of £146,568 in the latest round of the Government’s Safer Streets Fund.

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The fund is aimed at tackling neighbourhood crime, anti-social behaviour, and violence against women and girls, and ensuring safety inside and outside licensed premises.

The bid included proposals to increase the CCTV provision in the city centre by three cameras, improve facilities available for sexual violence recovery services, diversionary activities, engagement and education for young people, street monitors to focus on anti-social behaviour, training on vulnerability in the night-time economy sector and within communities, and additional taxi stewarding.

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Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Safety, Councillor Robert Boswell, said: “This is really positive news for the city.

“The criteria for the selection of areas are prescribed by the Home Office’s terms and for Preston this was agreed with the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire as comprising three Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs), two in the city centre and a third area adjoining the city centre in St Matthew’s ward.

“Development of the bid included completion of a ‘scanning’ section which identified the types and incidences of crime and anti-social behaviour which are most prevalent in the LSOAs.

“There was further analysis to include an Environmental Visual Audit of the area, and this identified key issues to be addressed in the area and determined the priority focus of the work in the project.”

Church Street Pic: Google — Church Street will be covered by the funding Pic: Google

The bids have been prioritised and supported by the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Andrew Snowden, Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire Constabulary, said:

“I’m delighted Preston City Council’s bid has been successful and will see investment into keeping people in Preston safer. I supported this bid because it is exactly what my Fighting Crime Plan is all about, making Lancashire a hostile place for criminals and protecting the overwhelming majority of law-abiding people who just want to get on with their lives.

“The money secured for Lancashire through the Safer Streets Fund is a great example of how, by working together, identifying issues and committing to a proactive, solutions-based approach we can invest into communities and fight crime.

“That’s also why I launched my Safer Lancashire Neighbourhoods Fund earlier this year to address local concerns and support the work of local policing teams to make a lasting difference.”

The funding is match-funded with the Council working with partner organisations The Foxton Centre and Preston North End Community and Education Trust.

The programme of funded work is scheduled to start this month and continue until the end of September 2023.

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