Safer Streets
Successful Safer Streets bids for Kent and Medway
The Safer Streets projects were designed to prevent neighbourhood crimes such as burglary, robbery and theft. Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in partnership with Local Authorities are able to bid for these opportunities to enable investment in areas, based on LSOA boundaries that are disproportionately affected by neighbourhood crimes. The purpose is to implement both physical and community-based interventions such as improved street lighting, home security, alley gating and CCTV coverage to prevent crime taking place.
In October 2023 we secured £764,082 in Safer Streets 5 projects. This money will benefit Chatham, Sittingbourne and Sheerness and Folkestone.
The 2024 -2025 funding breaks down like this:
Folkestone & Hythe – Folkestone Central Ward
£121,911.27
The area covers Folkestone Town Centre, Bouverie Place Shopping Centre, and Bus Station. This is an area of deprivation and has higher levels of harm associated with the night time economy and neighbourhood crime. The funding will seek to target sexual offences, stalking and harassment, violence against the person, retail crime, antisocial behaviour, drug offences, theft and vehicle interference. It will include things like improved CCTV, improved safety at taxi ranks and a Safe Taxi Scheme, support for outreach workers and Street Pastors as well as graffiti and litter removal.
Swale – Sittingbourne and Sheerness Town Centres
£110,929.88
Funding will focus on tackling antisocial behaviour, offences associated with violence against women and girls, and neighbourhood crime in Sittingbourne and Sheerness town centres. The area will include Sittingbourne High St, and the area next to the train station and nearby retail park. In Sheerness it will cover the High St and the Broadway, the station and Beachfields park. It will include improved lighting and CCTV provision and target areas affected by antisocial behaviour and support outreach workers and Street Pastors.
Medway – Chatham Town Centre
£108,557.00
The bid area incorporates Chatham Town Centre, a shopping arcade and significant transport hubs connecting Medway with London. This area is also bordered by residential housing and contains several greenspaces. The zone has reported high levels of antisocial behaviour and high levels of neighbourhood crime and offences associated with violence against women and girls. It will include environmental improvements, more CCTV, more training for bar staff in the night time economy and more community engagement work.
Kent and Medway has been awarded several Safer Streets projects over the last few years. The total for our previous projects is £1.4 million. You can see details of those projects below.
Previous Safer Streets bids secured by the PCC's Office
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Safer Streets Fund Round 4 – Ceased on 30 September 2023 |
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Crime prevention activity in the target areas focusing on reducing neighbourhood crimes (domestic burglary, robbery, theft from person, vehicle crime), ASB, Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG) in public places and improving feelings of safety from VAWG or ASB. |
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Canterbury John Dane Gardens, Town Centre and main routes into the Town Centre
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Improvements to Dane John Gardens, town centre and main routes into the town. University have extended the use of their Safe Zone app and the Street Pastor Scheme expanded to the setup of the Safe Havens. |
£589,042
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Gravesham Town Centre
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Installation of CCTV, creating safe spaces within the town and street scene improvements. Provision of specialist Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG) training, provision of safety and security advice to residents in the day and night-time economy. Development of a digital safety app. Provision of equipment to Street Pastors. Community engagement sessions to improve community cohesion, production of videos and education of students around safety in the night-time economy. Promotion and accreditation of the Best Bar None Scheme for licenced premise holders. |
£74,942.14
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Maidstone Town Centre, Brenchley Gardens District |
Improvements to CCTV and street lighting and the introduction of Safe Spaces. Funding covers the following: Installation of CCTV and improved natural surveillance and installation of lighting. Upgrade of street lighting and increase in G-safe radio network. Creation of Safe Spaces within the Town Centre, Active Bystander training and delivery of community engagement with diverse communities to educate around VAWG. Improvements around the Town Centre and Brenchley Gardens, including self-defence classes for women. Provision of Outreach workers, plus the expansion of the Best Bar None Scheme for licensed premises holders. Funding covers the following: Installation of CCTV and the provision of a summer warden for the local gardens. Active Bystander training, Youth Outreach Workers, and promotion of the Best Bar None Scheme. Provision of security and safety advice to residents and staff in the day and night-time economy. Provision of equipment to Street Pastors, upgrade of the Hollie Guard app, extension of Maidstone Safe Radios and NTE body worn cameras. |
£565,877 |
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Rochester and Chatham and Luton Districts in Medway
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Continuation of work undertaken through the Safer Streets projects, including more youth diversionary work, inclusive sports events and more active Bystander training. The funding will cover the following: Youth diversionary activities in local parks and the renovation of ball cages. Improved street scene with additional bins, graffiti removal and waste clearance. Active Bystander training. Provision of a range of safety and security advice to residents through a multi partnership approach and community signposting and referring. Installation of CCTV multi agency projects. Sports and creative activities for harder to reach communities.
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£203,230 |
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Safer Streets Fund Round 3 – Ceased on 31 March 2023 |
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These were provided to reduce violence against women and girls in neighbourhoods. Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in partnership with Local Authorities were able to bid for these opportunities to enable investment in specific areas. The purpose was to implement both physical and community-based interventions such as improved street lighting, improved CCTV coverage and provision of devices like personal safety alarms and other security devices. |
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Ashford (Town Centre) |
Targeted crime prevention within the town centre, including: installation of CCTV; creation of Safe Spaces; graffiti removal; digital app for safer routes; bystander training and personal safety awareness provision. |
£215,404
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Medway (Chatham/ Rochester and Riverside) |
Targeted crime prevention including creation of safe spaces; installation of bins and graffiti removal; engagement with sex workers regarding health and personal safety; recruiting street pastors; increased shop radios and improved street lighting. |
£179,723
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Safer Streets Fund Round 2 – Ceased on 31 March 2022 |
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To prevent crime and antisocial behaviour. The areas of focus were Ramsgate (Harbour and Town Centre) and Canterbury (Whitefriars & John Dane Gardens) |
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Ramsgate (Harbour and Town Centre) |
Awareness raising around mopeds and theft of mopeds; alleygating; installation of street lighting; graffiti and waste removal; community safety events and advice to shed owners. |
£280,611
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Canterbury (Whitefriars & John Dane Gardens |
Targeted crime prevention around the John Dane Gardens and Whitefriars areas, including: installation of CCTV; installing a new CCTV viewing suite; creation of a neighbourhood watch scheme and safety and security advice for residents. |
£382,358
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| Safer Streets Fund Round 1 – Ceased on 30 June 2021 | |||
| Designed to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour in areas which need it. |
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Gillingham (North) Medway |
Targeted crime prevention within Gillingham north, including: installation of CCTV; graffiti and waste removal; planting and street improvement; safety and crime prevention equipment and advice for residents.. |
£111,000
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