The Home Office has awarded Police and Crime Commissioners £42m through the Safer Streets Fund to build on current progress to tackle neighbourhood crime, violence against women and girls (VAWG) and anti-social behaviour.
As part of this fifth round of Safer Streets funding, PCCs will receive cash injections to invest in a range of prevention activities to make public spaces safer and reduce the fear of crime.
Preventing crime sits at the heart of my Police and Crime Plan. This additional funding will help deliver valuable preventative work in the region and help promote behavioural and attitudinal change.
I would like to highlight a video which can be found on the OPCC social media channels, outlining a day in the life of the PCC which is part of my ‘Together we can…’ campaign.
This campaign aims to raise awareness of the work done to improve, change and challenge policing.
Most people are not aware of the work my office and I do and, crucially, when they can turn to us for support to address issues or concerns, they have with policing.
We work hard to tackle so many and varied issues that affect all our lives at some point – from Violence Against Women and Girls, fraud and cybercrime, racial disproportionality, business crime and anti-social behaviour, to name just a few.
My job is to also hold the Avon and Somerset Chief Contestable (CC) to account and to keep striving for policing that serves everyone equally, ensuring they feel safe and supported in everyday life.
My next Performance and Accountability Board with the CC is on the 14th November at 2.00pm, live on my OPCC Facebook page.
In light of the clocks going back last weekend and the early nights drawing in, I would like to remind everyone to be vigilant with their home safety and security.
Burglary is known to increase during the winter months, I recommend you take a few simple measures to help reduce the chances of becoming a victim.
Double-check that all your windows and doors are locked, especially before going out, set a light timer to come on whilst you are out to not only deter burglars but help you get into your home safely.
If you have an outside space, set up an outdoor sensor light to alert you of anyone arriving at your property, and if it is possible, invest in a burglar alarm and/or CCTV (with signage) for extra peace of mind.
It is also vital that you report any suspicious activity to the police, using 101 or the online reporting form in a non-emergency and 999 where there is a risk to life.
I would like to know your thoughts on the policing part of your council tax. As your PCC, I am responsible for reviewing the amount of money you contribute to local policing through your council tax bill (known as the precept).
The precept accounts for 41% of police funding. The rest comes from the central Government. Although the Government has not yet confirmed the maximum amount by which PCCs can increase the precept for next year, it will be at least £10 a year for a band D household.
Even if Avon and Somerset Police receive an extra £10 from local people in band D households, our current financial planning shows that increased savings still need to be made.
The size of the savings needed will likely result in about 250 staff roles being cut. These cuts will have an impact on front line services such as visible policing and the ability to investigate crime.
Please do spare five minutes to share your thoughts on police funding. The survey can be found on the OPCC website.