Council bosses to spend more than £350,000 to help make Wolverhampton city centre safer

Cabinet resources bosses will next week approve government grant funding of £356,667, awarded in round four of the Safer Streets project – £207,437 from now until March next year and £158,230 from April-September 2023.

The cash, which comes from £50 million in government funds, will be used to roll out extra CCTV and street lighting, more safe spaces and an increased number of community guardians and night officers.

Concentrating mainly on the city centre, round four of the initiative will continue to work towards preventing violence against women and girls in public, neighbourhood crime and anti-social behaviour.

In a report to council officers, head of communities Hannah Pawley said: “The key aims of round four of the funding are to increase feelings of safety relating to violence against women and girls (VAWG), focusing on reducing the threat of harassment and intimidation, rape, sexual assault and drink spiking.

“It is expected that the activity will also have a positive impact on rates of violence, domestic abuse, acquisitive crime and exploitation of children, young people and adults.

“Wolverhampton was previously successful in round two of the Safer Streets initiative where nearly £250,000 was awarded to tackle neighbourhood crime in Bilston and Ettingshall,” she added.

How the  £356,667 will be spent:

• £116,967 – an additional 68 nights of ‘safe haven’ delivery (one additional weekend per month). This provides a safe space for people enjoying the evening economy to seek welfare, advice, support and first aid if required. It will also include the trial provision of a single toilet and urinal block and an increase in night guardians.

• £28,500 – bespoke training will be delivered to operators within the night-time economy including licensed venue staff, door staff, taxi marshals and taxi providers. This will also include a Women’s Night Safety Charter, which will increase the confidence of staff in knowing how to respond to and report incidents of VAWG and ensure that they respond appropriately.

• £40,000 – educational workshops with young people will be upscaled to provide intervention work through preventative sessions on anti-social behaviour, violence, vulnerability and exploitation, using trained professionals with lived experience. They will equip young people with practical tools and strategies that they can use to build resilience to negative peer pressure.

• £135,200 – an additional ten officers to be present around the city centre during peak times for five hours per day, two days a week. This will allow officers (including uniformed and plain-clothed) to identify young people involved in anti-social behaviour. Once young people are identified, their schools will be engaged and they will be offered diversionary activity. Where there are persistent offenders West Midlands Police will make use of civil interventions such as criminal behaviour orders and community protection notices.

• £10,000 – a network of community guardians will be established. Local community groups, residents, businesses and partners will be trained and up-skilled to become active positive bystanders in the community, improving community cohesion, building capacity within our community networks, being proactive in supporting their community and making our streets feel safer.

Confirmation of the successful bid was received in July 2022. Cabinet bosses are due to officially approve the funding next Wednesday.