Making streets safer for women and girls

CHESHIRE police will receive the joint-largest amount of funding from a Government scheme to make public spaces safer.

The Safer Streets Fund has awarded a total of £23.5 million to police and crime commissioners and local authorities across England and Wales.

The money will be used for local projects aimed at increasing the safety of public spaces with a particular focus on tackling violence against women and girls.

The Cheshire police and crime commissioner, John Dwyer, will receive £1.1 million after submitting two successful bids - the joint-highest amount with Nottinghamshire.

A government statement read: “Created with the objective of tackling local acquisitive crimes like car theft and burglary, the latest round of the Safer Streets Fund has a particular emphasis on the safety of women and girls.

“The investment will go to police forces and local authorities across England and Wales as well as the British Transport Police to spend in the 21/22 financial year.

“Crimes which take place in public places such as sexual harassment disproportionately affect women.

Recipients of funding have submitted bids for innovative plans to increase the safety of public spaces, including projects which emphasise changing attitudes and behaviours in local communities.

“Since its inception, the Government has committed £70 million to the Safer Streets Fund to support local areas across England and

Wales to introduce initiatives aimed at stopping offences happening in the first place.”

The funding, and the renewed focus on tackling violence against women and girls, comes after Sarah Everard’s killer, Wayne Couzens – a Metropolitan Police officer at the time of her murder – was handed a whole life prison sentence by the courts.