More Money from Conservative PCC for Community Safety in Tamworth

Tamworth Borough Council Leader Daniel Cook and PCC Matthew Ellis

More money has been allocated to fund community safety in Tamworth through the Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis’ Locality Deal Fund.

It will deliver what’s important to local people based on the four priorities set out in the Commissioner’s Safer, Fairer, United Communities Strategy – tackling the root causes of crime through early intervention, supporting victims and witnesses better, reducing reoffending and increasing public confidence.

Mr Ellis said, “It’s time to trust local areas to deliver what’s right for local people.  That’s what I’ve committed to do and that’s what I’m doing.

“I have significantly increased the funding that Tamworth and other local areas have to make their communities safer.  Providing more money at a local level in this way will help deliver the best community safety solutions for people in Tamworth.

“What’s more, this funding is guaranteed until 2016 rather than on a 12-month basis which gives a greater chance for continuity instead of having to plan ‘exit strategies’ at the outset.”

Funding will go to Tamworth Community Safety Partnership for the financial year 2014/15.  Eighty per cent will be provided initially with a further 20 per cent following in October subject to successful evaluation of local achievements.

Councillor Daniel Cook, Leader of Tamworth Borough Council said, “Community safety in Tamworth is incredibly important and our community safety partnership is one of the best in the country; additional funding will help us improve it even more.  Crime in Tamworth is relatively low but we know we still have work to do on tackling the fear of crime.

“In addition, having this money until 2016 means we can have more impact on our communities and invest the money in a sustainable way which will make a difference to people’s lives.”

The Locality Deal Fund is the largest part of £2.5 million of Commissioner’s Community Funding for 2014/15.

Two other funding streams will provide funding to local community safety projects.  The Commissioner’s Proceeds of Crime Fund is seeing 100 per cent of funding received by Staffordshire Police going back into local communities, through grants of between £3,000 and £15,000.  It is made up of money seized from criminals as Staffordshire Police continue to robustly strip offenders of their assets.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner’s People Power Fund empowers local groups to find solutions to community safety problems through smaller grants of between £100 and £3,000.

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