Local community groups across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent can now apply for funding to turn great ideas for making their area safer into reality.
Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire and Rescue and Crime, Matthew Ellis made £200,000 available this year through his People Power Fund and Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) Fund. Applicants have until 14 September to make their application to either fund.
Hundreds of ideas have been funded by the Commissioner over recent years, with grants of £100 – £2,000 available through the People Power Fund and £2,000 – £10,000 through POCA.
The People Power Fund supports locally driven community safety activities throughout Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. These could include providing long-term positive activities for young people to help reduce anti-social behaviour, mentoring programmes for local groups or activities that reassure and improve the quality of life for local people.
The Commissioner’s Proceeds of Crime Fund sees money and assets confiscated from criminal seizures funding projects to make communities safer.
Matthew Ellis said: ‘The People Power Fund helps local communities with their ideas to make their areas safer. It is really easy to apply for and is about preventing problems like anti-social behaviour through better security or anything that is likely to successfully deter wrong-doing and community nuisance.
‘Staffordshire Police strip offenders of their ill-gotten gains and then we make it available in grants to support activities preventing crime via the Proceeds of Crime Fund.
‘It’s a bit of a virtuous circle… criminals commit crime, police via the Courts seize their assets and that provides money to make places safer.’
People Power Fund applications need to be sponsored by the group’s Neighbourhood Police Officer or PCSO and will initially be assessed by the local Community Safety Partnership.
