Wolverhampton receives £114k government aid to tackle gang crime

The Home Office’s Early Intervention Youth Funding (EIYF) programme allocated the cash for Wolverhampton to West Midlands Police Crime Commissioner (PCC) David Jamieson for the period 2019-20.

Wolverhampton’s PCC budget allocation is £114,250, which has has been determined by considering the critical services required within the city to ensure that local needs are met.

Working in conjunction with the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership (SWP), the cash will be used to aid the delivery of an agreed city-wide crime and community initiative aimed at specifically tackling gang-related incidents and violence among young people.

A spokesman for the PCC said: “An annual allocation of grants is made to the seven community safety partnerships within the West Midlands metropolitan area to support the delivery of their strategic plans.

“Direct funding from the PCC has been reducing year on year due to both budget reductions and an increase in centralised commissioning by the PCC.

“Funding for the financial year 2019-20 will see further reductions in the local allocation, as the PCC will be funding more services on a West Midlands metropolitan area basis.

“The city’s Community Safety and Harm Reduction Strategy for 2017-20 will be entering its final year of delivery and then we will be working to inform members of the SWP’s strategic plans from 2020 onwards. The EIYF allocation, announced in late November 2018, provides a small allocation during 2018-19 and a further allocation for 2019-20 to spend on youth interventions to tackle the rising issue of violence and exploitation amongst young people. This is an ongoing issue.”

The campaign’s main priorities are: to work with partners to reduce harm through intervening and protecting; supporting victims so they can cope and recover from the impact of crime; building trust and confidence in the police; and supporting communities through local policing and encouraging people to become more active citizens.

“How West Midlands Police will respond to the financial challenges we face will be to make sure we have a modern and effective workforce,” added the PCC spokesman.

“We need to be standing up for young people and giving them the opportunities they need to contribute to society. We will also be looking at tackling national and international threats and working with our partners to deliver this. We also need an increased response to the very real threat of cyber crime.”

Other issues being being tackled by the strategy include violence against women and girls, domestic homicide, youth offending and the need for more crime prevention tactics.

By Joe Sweeney,

Local Democracy Reporter.