HAMPSHIRE'S Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Donna Jones, has secured £1m of Home Office funding to deliver on plans to cut crime and build safer communities - and some of it will be used in Basingstoke and Deane. 

The successful bid is from the fifth round of the government’s Safer Streets Fund with Portsmouth, the Isle of Wight, Gosport, Havant, Fareham, Eastleigh, Southampton, Winchester, the New Forest, Test Valley, Basingstoke and Deane, Rushmoor and Hart all benefiting.

The funding is aimed at tackling neighbourhood crime, violence against women and girls (VAWG) and anti-social behaviour (ASB) across England and Wales and includes the following successful projects for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

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In Basingstoke the funding will be used to help fund mentors in violence prevention training in schools, designing out crime initiatives in key areas of Basingstoke with lighting and environmental enhancements to increase feelings of safety.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s cabinet member for communities and partnerships Cllr John McKay said: “Creating neighbourhoods where residents feel safe and want to live is a key priority for the council. This additional investment will support work with partners to create a safer community for all, with improvements planned in areas highlighted by our communities."

The Safer Streets Fund was launched in 2020, with the Government investing £120m through four rounds of funding, and a further £5m through the Safety of Women at Night Fund. The £42m fifth round, announced in July, means £167m to date has now been invested on 413 projects across England and Wales.

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PCC Donna Jones said: “This is fantastic news for our communities. It means we can do so much more to tackle neighbourhood crime, reduce the harm caused by violence against women and tackle anti-social behaviour head-on.

“I know how distressing these crimes can be and the misery they cause communities. Everyone in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight must feel safe on the streets. This funding means I can do even more to protect the public and make neighbourhoods safer.

“Working with the police and partners, we are building more resilient neighbourhoods and making it harder and harder for criminals to act.”

Funding has also been supplied for a youth outreach project to engage with 60 young people involved in ASB in Hart and Rushmoor and go towards crime initiatives in key areas of Rushmoor with lighting, CCTV and environmental enhancements to increase feelings of safety.