Extra £200,000 funding secured to prevent and tackle crime in Grantham

An extra £200,000 funding has been secured to prevent and tackle crime and keep residents safe in Grantham.

The bid by Lincolnshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones, in partnership with South Kesteven District Council has now been given the go-ahead by the Government.

The money will be used to pay for additional warden patrols, upgraded CCTV cameras and projects to keep women and girls safe.

Among the projects given the green light in Grantham is Home Safe – a scheme which offers women and girls who feel threatened a token which can be exchanged with a partner taxi firm for a free ride home.

The additional funding will be used to tackle crime and keep communities safe through a range of projects including:

• Upgrade or replace 38 CCTV cameras across Grantham

• Increased CCTV operator cover for Friday and Saturday nights

• Increase warden patrols over weekends and in the evenings to tackle anti-social behaviour and deter criminals

• Enhance the Pub Watch scheme by providing venues with radio units so they can share information quickly

• An education package delivered in schools to support positive attitudes towards women and girls

• Buy 500 personal alarms to be distributed to women and girls by the town’s street pastors

• Purchase 5,000 Drink Safe covers and anti-spiking bottle stoppers to distribute in pubs and clubs

• Establish a series of self-defence classes to be offered to the public and in schools

The Grantham project is part of three bids put forward by the PCC to prevent and fight crime across Lincolnshire – bringing a total of £992,655 into the county for a raft of projects designed to keep the streets safe, tackle anti-social behaviour and improve safety for women and girls.

“I am delighted we have been successful, once again, in bringing extra money into Lincolnshire to benefit its residents,” said Mr Jones.

“I’m particularly pleased with the range of projects and the number of communities that will benefit from this additional funding.

“I think it demonstrates the innovative thinking and determination being applied to driving down anti-social behaviour, keeping our streets safe and providing additional practical help to those who feel vulnerable.

“I will continue to fight for every available penny in my commitment to keeping our county as one of the safest places to live in the UK.”