The government has pledged nearly £ 1.5million in funding to the North East in a bid to make the streets safer.
The money, from the Safer Streets Fund, will be used to fund projects to crack down on crimes such as burglary, vehicle theft and robbery.
Altering the design of streets such as locked doors around alleys, increasing street lighting and installing CCTV are among the measures the funds will go to, in order to reduce crime.
Following a competitive bidding process, the Police and Crime Boards and Commissioners (PCCs) who will receive a share of the £ 18.3million total have now been revealed.
In the North East, Durham PCC received £ 670,864, Newcastle City Council received a grant of £ 431,967 while Cleveland PCC will receive £ 366,289.
The Safer Streets Fund has already helped bring crime prevention initiatives to ‘at risk’ properties in Durham, including window locks, locks on exterior doors and exterior lights on a sensor.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “I will not stand idly by while criminals inflict fear and misery on our communities, which is why I launched the Safer Streets Fund to improve the security in areas ravaged by crimes such as burglary, theft and theft.
“But it’s more than just environmental change – we need to stop people from committing these offenses in the first place as we rebuild in a safer way.
“This is why the next cycle will rightly examine behavior change, with a primary focus on women and girls who are disproportionately affected by crimes like harassment in public places.”
The third round of the fund also opens on Thursday, giving authorities another chance to bid for an additional £ 25million for 2021/22, which will focus on projects to help women and girls feel more secure. safety in the street.
Sign up for our free newsletter to receive our top stories twice a day as well as breaking news, coronavirus news and the latest football stories from Newcastle United and Sunderland AFC.
Signing up only takes a few seconds – just click on this link, enter your email address and follow the instructions.
If you change your mind, you can unsubscribe using the link at the bottom of each newsletter we send out.
Find us on the UK newspaper archives here.
Chairman of the National Council of Police Chiefs Martin Hewitt said: “Neighborhood crimes such as burglary and theft take a toll on local communities, with people often afraid to leave their homes.
“We know that better street lighting or CCTV can do a lot to prevent crime, which is why we are welcoming the latest round of Safer Streets funding to ensure that projects can continue to have a positive impact on the communities most. hard hit.
“We also know that changing attitudes is essential in the long term, which is why police and local authorities are encouraged to focus new offerings on behavior change and community engagement.”