MORE than £6m in grants has now been paid out to charities, community groups and sports clubs in the West Mercia area by Police & Crime Commissioner Bill Longmore.
The money has gone to support organisations and initiatives which are helping the Commissioner achieve objectives from his Police & Crime Plan, particularly around crime prevention and diverting people away from offending, which is a much more cost-effective way of tackling crime.
An independent audit of one PCC funded scheme aimed at rehabilitating offenders, estimated that for every £1 spent by the Commissioner, it had saved £16 from the public purse.
Grants have been awarded throughout the West Mercia including Your Ideas Youth and Community Centre in Redditch received £19,950 for work to stop young people who are excluded from full time education entering the criminal justice system or causing anti-social behaviour.
The money was to provide regular community-based activity sessions, meeting the Police & Crime Plan objective ‘to reduce reoffending and bring offenders to account’.
Simon Marshall, director and chair of Board, said: “This grant we received has made a huge difference. In this area of work, we are seeing greater demand for our services and this money will help us to support more young people.
“The young peopIe we work with are particularly vulnerable and if we prevent them from entering the criminal justice system, then the whole community benefits,” he added.
West Mercia PCC Bill Longmore said: “I’ve seen the impact these grants can make, and it’s really good to be able to support people who have got such dedication, knowledge and ideas to make a real difference. I’ve often said that no-one knows the communities of West Mercia better than the people who live and work in them, and they are doing a huge amount to help myself and the police make the area even safer.”
