Three-quarters of a million pounds of funding for Grimsby's East Marsh
It's with the aim of reducing crime, drug offences and anti-social behaviour
A successful bid from North East Lincolnshire Council and the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner’s (PCC) office has secured three-quarters of a million pounds in funding from the Home Office for East Marsh Ward.
The money has been given out from Home Office Safer Streets Fund with the aim to reduce crime, drug offences and anti-social behaviour, and to make residents feel safer. A previous successful bid from North East Lincolnshire saw CCTV installed in crime and anti-social behaviour hotspots in West Marsh, as well as the revamp of a clearway with a new mural and additional lighting.
The total funding for East Marsh of £749,500 will be decided by community groups being invited to bid for the cash. Ward councillors are also seeking out residents’ views and fly tipping has been identified as an issue in the area.
“I want to really encourage groups in East Marsh to come forward and have conversations with us about this funding, go through the terms and look at how this can be used to impact the lives and security of residents of the East Marsh in the future,” said Conservative Cllr Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities.
Humberside PCC Jonathan Evison was “delighted” that the council and his office had secured the funding, adding: “It will deliver initiatives that will improve the environment, prevent and reduce crimes and anti-social behaviour, improving the security of the community and making a sustainable change for everyone living and working there.”
Liberal Democrat Cllr Nicola Aisthorpe is one of the three councillors to represent East Marsh Ward. “Since being elected, I made it my goal to push for an active crime plan and more investment in the East Marsh, raising the issue regularly with officers and in council meetings.
“Eventually I managed a get it listed as an issue to be ‘tracked’ in the Council’s ‘Communities Scrutiny Panel’ and with the help from the ‘Anti-Social Behaviour Team’ and Humberside Police, an excellent bid was put together for the ‘Safer Streets Fund’.
Cllr Aisthorpe and her fellow ward councillors are seeking residents’ views on where the funding should go to pass onto the council’s communities scrutiny panel. “Areas that have been reported to me so far include Grant Thorold Park, the Railway Bridge and Rutland Street.
“The issue of fly tipping, particularly in alleyways, is also a significant concern to many residents in the East Marsh. Fly tipping is a crime, but residents feel that little action is currently being taken, which gives the general feeling that these areas are not looked after and that could encourage further anti-social behaviour, making residents feel unsafe.”
This is the fourth round of the Home Office Safer Streets Fund and community groups have until Monday, October 10, to bid for funding.