Cash has been secured from the Government to tackle anti-social behaviour in three Cumbrian locations.
Penrith has been awarded £190,813 for work in the town centre. Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service will expand its current road awareness pack, including the development of educational resources using virtual reality technology.
It allows young people to experience a variety of driving scenarios and outcomes in a fully immersive manner including drink/drug and risky driving.
This enhanced education can be delivered in anti-social driving hotspot locations to encourage drivers to take responsibility for their actions.
Hammond’s Pond in Carlisle will benefit from £146,515.75 of funding to reduce off-road vehicle anti-social behaviour, youth-related anti-social behaviour, and violence against women and girls offences.
The funding will be used to improve lighting in the park to act as a deterrent on offences and improve feelings of safety. Four neighbourhood policing officers will also receive drone training to help with the gathering of evidence around offending.
The Line in Workington will receive £127,671.25 to reduce anti-social behaviour and violence against women and girls offences in the area.
The funding will provide enhancements to the area including the removal of greenery to provide users with better sights and reduce hiding places for those looking to commit or have committed an offence, replace broken paving to improve accessibility, schools will design murals to replace the current graffiti and provide signs with direct links to reporting options to the council and police. Workington neighbourhood policing officers will also receive drone training.
The cash has been secured by Cumbria’s police, fire and crime commissioner Peter McCall from the Home Office Safer Streets Fund 5. It has been match funded by the PFCC, Cumbria Constabulary and Cumberland Council with an additional amount of £737,522.98 to assist the project over the next two years.
All three areas will benefit from a team of youth outreach workers will be employed to respond to youth anti-social behaviour providing mediation, restorative justice, safeguarding and intervention to reduce ASB, VAWG offences and create a more respectful environment in these areas to reduce feelings of unsafety for residents.
Mr McCall, said: “This funding will make a real difference to communities in Cumbria by reducing anti-social behaviour but also providing a safe environment and security for those who just want to use their local amenities in a safe and respectful way.”
Chief Superintendent Richard Quinn, of Cumbria Constabulary, said: “We welcome the additional funding which has been provided to support our ongoing work to make areas of our county an even safer place for everyone.
“Anti-social behaviour can have a significant and detrimental impact on the communities where is occurs. Our neighbourhood policing teams work closely in partnership with local agencies, groups and communities to prevent offending and take action when offences happen.
“The safety of women and girls is a key priority for our force. This funding means we will now be able to further protect our communities.
“I have no doubt that all of the work, supported by this funding, will further strengthen our ability to tackle anti-social behaviour and violence against women and girls.”
