Community urged to bid for crooks’ cash
A SPECIAL fund which uses cash seized from crooks to help community crimebusters in North Wales is set to take its hand-outs to over £200,000 in five years.
The Your Community, Your Choice Awards are again putting up over £40,000 and North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones is urging local groups to bid for the cash.
The Community Fund is again being set up jointly by Mr Jones, North Wales Police and the North Wales Police and Community Trust (PACT).
Each of the region’s six counties will have £2,500 apiece for two groups, with £5,000 each for two organisations that operate across North Wales.
The successful groups will be chosen by public vote and entries open on Monday, September 4, and close on Saturday, September 30.
The Your Community, Your Choice entry form is available on the North Wales Police website, with a link to it on the Police Commissioner’s website.
A shortlist of applicants will be chosen by a special panel and voting opens to the public on October 30 and runs until December 1, with that vote deciding the winners.
The cash for the awards comes partly from money seized by the courts through the Proceeds of Crime Act, with the rest from the Police Commissioner’s Fund.
North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, Arfon Jones, said: “These awards are important because they involve the community and the communities decide where the money can best be spent.
“A lot of what we fund is aimed at providing something for young people to get involved with in their spare time, rather than being tempted to commit crime or indulge in anti-social behaviour. We want to support communities so they are able to take responsibility for their own areas.
“Smaller community groups like them can do a great deal to make communities safer, reduce crime and reduce re-offending.
“It also sends a good message to the communities, because it shows we are listening to them.”
Completed applications must be returned by email to: yourcommunityyourchoice@nthwales.pnn.police. uk, by 5pm, on the closing date of September 30.