£500,000 is to be invested in tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) in Longton and Tunstall as part of the latest round of the Government’s Safer Streets Fund, following a successful bid by the Staffordshire Commissioner’s Office (SCO).
This funding is in addition to almost £3 million already secured by the SCO through Safer Streets in rounds one, two, three and four, and forms part of Staffordshire’s preventative approach to reducing ASB more broadly.
£500,000 will be used in Longton and Tunstall. It will provide a range of partnership interventions designed to help reduce ASB and improve people’s safety and confidence, including:
- Additional street lighting, gating, fences and CCTV, and environmental measures such as clearing rubbish and cutting back overgrown greenery on walking routes
- Street outreach workers delivering targeted engagement within local communities, including making referrals to appropriate networks and support agencies
- Educational programmes on ASB within schools’ Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education curriculum
- A street pastor or marshall scheme around the night-time economy and vulnerable locations, able to help identify, support and signpost vulnerable people to safe places and support
Jack Brereton, MP for Stoke-on-Trent South, said:
“This much-needed investment will significantly improve safety in Longton town centre for residents and businesses, instilling confidence in people to shop locally and visit our fantastic small independent retailers.
“I strongly support the addition of new CCTV cameras and alleyway gates in key locations. Together, they will not only act as a strong deterrent to the mindless vandals and criminals who target our shops and businesses, but also help to build better evidence for the Police to ensure criminals who target our high street face the full force of the law.”
Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime, Ben Adams said:
“Tackling the anti-social behaviour that can harm our communities is a key priority in my Police & Crime Plan, as where these problems are repeated, residents can feel unsafe in their own neighbourhoods.
“This latest round of funding will help to boost the significant work already underway across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, combining practical measures like CCTV and improved lighting with education to change people’s behaviours – not only making our communities safer, but ensuring they feel safer too.”
