Safer Streets Previous Funding Rounds

To date the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire has secured over £2.8m of funding through the Safer Streets Fund and details of previous schemes can be accessed below.

Safer Streets 4

Bid Amount: Primary Bid – £729,932 and Secondary Bid – £294,000

Bid Area: Primary Bid – Pan Bedfordshire and Secondary Bid – Luton

Primary Bid

This bid will look to target Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) in public places and feelings of safety from VAWG, but it is expected that this will also have an indirect impact on other areas such as anti-social behaviour (ASB), serious violence, robbery, gangs and criminal exploitation. Further information about VAWG, how to report an incident or find support can be found on our website.

Secondary Bid

This bid will look to address neighbourhood crime and ASB within Luton South Ward.

Safer Streets 3

Bid Amount: £550,000

Bid Area: Bedford Borough

Bid Initiatives

Raising awareness of the how the whole community can work together to reduce the risk of violence against women and girls.
Improved CCTV and Lighting in Tavistock Street, Ford End Road, Ampthill Road and the River Footpath between Prebend Bridge and Queens Park.
Clearing and opening public spaces.
Community and Engagement and pop-up events supporting the personal safety initiatives that have been funded through the project, working with local and national services that can support those who may feel unsafe when out in these areas.
Funding ‘Coaching Boys into Men’ (CBIM)an evidence-based prevention programme that trains and motivates athletic coaches to teach their young male athletes healthy relationship skills and that violence never equals strength.
Purchase and distribution of crime reduction materials including personal alarms and Hollie Guard extra application.
Crimestoppers campaign
Improved signage to raise awareness of improved CCTV in the area and encourage confidence in residents and visitors to the area.

Safer Streets 2

Bid Amount: £432,000

Bid Area: Manshead Dunstable

Bid Initiatives

To help reduce crime and make the neighbourhood safer the Safer Street Project will tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in the area.
Investment in 15 new audio enabled CCTV cameras.
Crime Prevention Improvements including improvements to street lighting, alley gating, fencing, and landscaping.
The funding was used to offer residents video doorbells and SmartWater kits, which contain a traceable ultraviolet liquid and asset marking system that is applied to items of value to identify thieves and deter theft.
The funding was used to engage with the local community and community groups, support neighbourhood watch schemes, offer crime prevention advice, and provide targeted support and intervention to residents, businesses and in local schools.
Establishment of a business watch and radio link scheme.
Provision of a Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) community safety team officer to provide a uniformed presence in the areas, patrolling on foot providing public reassurance and proactively engaging with residents

Safer Streets 1

Bid Amount: £434,000

Bid Area: Bedford, Midland Road and surrounding areas.

Bid Initiatives

Upgraded CCTV in the Midland Road area to Smart Cameras. The new cameras will be able to see better and will look for behaviour that might show criminal activity. The new system does not use facial recognition but looks at shape and movement in public spaces.
Improved street lighting in the area.
Survey of local residents and improving home security by the provision of ring doorbells, SmartWater, door chains, window locks and fire proof letter boxes.
Community Engagement Events and community projects.
Funding was reserved to support the publicity of the Safer Street Fund, increasing the awareness and visibly of the work taking place.
Azalea/LASE – Establishment of a safer communities training programme in relation to sex trafficking, how residents can identify this and where they can report it.
Bobby Scheme – offering crime prevention resources in people’s homes, to prevent them being victims of crimes such as burglary.

Bid Amount: £448,150

Bid Area: Luton – High Town

Bid Initiatives

High Town did not have CCTV coverage and there were seven identified locations that were deemed ‘blank spots. The funding allowed Luton Council to purchase seven additional CCTV units to be installed.
Existing street lighting in the area was upgraded.
Frederick Street Passage and Munson’s Path were identified as being frequent locations of anti-social behaviour and in particular environmental crime (fly tipping and abandoned vehicles). Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) were agreed to prevent this activity from taking place and the Safer Street Fund allowed the purchase and installation of barriers, to assist with the enforcement of the PSPO.

Bedfordshire Police Headquarters

Email the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner

Office of the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner