A £60 million funding pot, aimed at tackling neighbourhood crime, anti-social behaviour, and violence against women and girls, has been hailed by Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) John Campion. The funding, issued by the Home Office in its fifth round, is set to benefit PCCs throughout England and Wales.

PCC Campion expressed his satisfaction with the allocation, stating, "I welcome today’s announcement by the Home Office, which will undoubtedly make a huge difference to local communities in West Mercia."

Over the past three years, Campion, along with his partners, has secured over £3 million from the Government’s Safer Streets fund, significantly contributing to a safer West Mercia. In fact, the PCC was granted a £1.7 million investment from the Safer Streets 4 fund just last year.

An allocation of £400,000 from the fund was used specifically for the protection of women and girls in West Mercia. This money was dedicated to the enhancement of StreetWatch schemes and the establishment of a digital platform to aid volunteers in supporting victims.

The remainder of the fund was divided among three areas within West Mercia. Telford and Wrekin received a significant £500,000 investment to support initiatives such as the deployment of housing enforcement officers. Their mission is to bolster security, improve living conditions, and tackle anti-social behaviour, as well as refining licensing practices.

In Herefordshire, £350,000 was spent on landscaping improvements to enhance community safety. It also funded a local education programme, aimed at those working in the night-time economy, schools, and colleges. The purpose of the programme is to improve understanding of sexually harmful behaviours and develop Herefordshire’s 'Time to change' campaign to reduce violence against women and girls.