Police and Crime Commissioner, Festus Akinbusoye has won £432,000 from the Safer Streets fund from the Home Office. The winning bid is for the Dunstable and Houghton Regis area of Bedfordshire, known as Manshead.

The Safer Streets project aims to reduce crime and make local areas safer.  It also allows PCCs to work with local partners in areas that are disproportionately affected by neighbourhood crime like burglary, vehicle theft and robbery.

The funding won by the PCC will be invested in preventative approaches to make the community safer in Manshead.  The ambition is to increase the level of pride in the community and reduce the fear of crime.

The fund will pay for 15 state of the art CCTV cameras, new and upgraded street lighting, alley-gates, fencing, and landscaping of target areas.

Commissioner Akinbusoye said:

“I am delighted that Central Bedfordshire has been selected in this funding round. We use an evidence based approach to determine an area where this investment will have the greatest impact on the lives of residents because I want our residents to feel safer on our streets, and this investment will help in achieving this.”

The latest win builds on the success that the Police and Crime Commissioner’s office achieved last year with the High Town project in Luton and the Midland Road project in Bedford, where we have already seen:

·         A 15% reduction in acquisitive crime

·         Smart Water kits provided to over 255 properties in the target areas

·         Home visits provided to 22 streets in each area and more than 200 properties provided with home security measures

·         Ring door bells provided to properties in the area as part of the initiative

·         Several community engagement events held

·         14 CCTV cameras installed

·         Seven alley-gates installed

·         6 Street Lamp Columns have been installed

·         Upgrading of the CCTV room and platforms

The third round of the Safer Streets Fund is now open, providing another opportunity to bid from a fund of £25 million for the year 2021/22, which the Commissioner’s team will bid into again for all areas across Bedfordshire.