Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden has invested £69,000 back into projects that deter crime, including £23,000 for projects in East Lancashire.

This is the latest investment through the Commissioner's Safer Lancashire Neighbourhoods Fund (SLNF), which has seen £850k invested across the fund since launching in Spring 2022.

Eight new projects across the county have received funding through the community strand of the fund, including diversionary activity to deter anti-social behaviour, CCTV upgrades and early intervention.

In East Lancashire, Accrington Stanley Community Trust has received £9,500 for sport based diversionary activity to reduce anti-social behaviour across Hyndburn.

Burnley Leisure & Culture Group has received £10,000 for diversionary activity with sports focus to reduce anti-social behaviour.

And the Salvation Army received £4,000 for a CCTV upgrade around the centre in Hyndburn where anti-social behaviour is taking place.

There was also money given through the Police Innovation Fund element of the SLNF, focusing on public engagement and tackling rural crime.

The Police and Crime Commissioner’s Safer Lancashire Neighbourhoods Fund continues to support a huge range of initiatives aimed at reducing crime and anti-social behaviour in the local community, with more than 40 projects funded through the Community strand alone.

The Safer Lancashire Neighbourhoods Fund utilises cash seized from criminals, which is reinvested in projects that benefit the community.

Andrew Snowden said: "Backing projects like these, that make a positive difference to the fight against crime in Lancashire and use ill-gotten gains taken from offenders, is exactly what my Safer Lancashire Neighbourhoods Fund is all about.

"This investment allows local concerns to be addressed by those who best understand how to tackle them, with the poetic irony that they're funded with cash taken out of the pockets of criminals who blight our neighbourhoods.

"This allows us to address some of the root causes of offending, make areas feel safer and engage with those who need support, whilst rightly focusing on enforcement and getting tough on offenders.

"I will continue to work closely with the Chief Constable to ensure that we are delivering on the priorities that the public tell me they want to see, punishing those who make life a misery for others and keeping Lancashire safe."

Other projects to benefit from the fund include:

  • Flowhesion – workshops with young people around the dangers of drugs, co-designed by young people - £10,000
  • Chorley Borough Council – summer holiday diversionary activity in areas identified as ant-social behaviour hotspot areas - £3,228
  • RAFT (Residents Association of Farringdon and Thirlmere) – early intervention in the Farringdon Park area working with young people to reduce anti-social behaviour - £7,755
  • Blackpool Council -  prevention and diversionary activity through youth work in anti-social behaviour hotspot areas - £10,000
  • Blackpool Stanley Rugby Club – coaching sessions for young people, outside of school time, to reduce anti-social behaviour - £8,040
  • Lancashire Talking – Promoting In The Know and Lancashire Talking for better police engagement with residents  - £1,000
  • South Rural Taskforce – security marking for property in more rural areas to prevent burglary and theft - £6,744