Measures to tackle ASB in Devizes receives funding boost

Wiltshire Council received just under £130,000 as part of a partnership bid to tackle youth anti-social behaviour in the Devizes area.

The funding will help provide a temporary full time young people's support worker, mobile youth work provision to provide a safe space for young people to access support and opportunities, community mediation workshops, parent mentor and parenting support for parents struggling with their children's behaviour in the community and educational packages including training for local residents and stakeholders including young people on how to respond if they see issues within their community.

There will also be additional CCTV in Station Road Car park and key road junctions to provide reassurance to the public. The work will involve a "contextual safeguarding" approach which aims to understand the wider context for issues affecting the young people in places outside of the home.

Cllr Peter Hutton, Portfolio Holder for Safeguarding at Wiltshire Council said: "We are really pleased to have secured this funding which will help tackle issues seen in the Devizes area using a combination of measures including physical interventions, educational programmes and diversionary activities which aim to address the root causes of anti-social behaviour concerns relating to young people.

"This is backed up by a strong partnership with a combination of approaches which aims to reduce ASB in the short term but longer-term impact on accepted norms and behaviours in social spaces for future generations. We hope to use this learning in other areas around the county."

The work is being planned alongside other activities by Devizes Town Council which is developing initiatives to engage young people into understanding their role within the community and enhance their sense of civic duty and belonging.

Philip Wilkinson, Police and Crime Commissioner said: "I'm really pleased to be working with both local authorities and to have supported these national funding bids to address those issues that matter most to our communities, such as ASB and violence against women and girls, which can have a really detrimental impact on the day-to-day lives of residents in Wiltshire and Swindon.

"This additional funding will see significant progress made in tackling crime, and most importantly, preventing it from happening in the first place. Addressing neighbourhood crime and violence against women and girls continues to be a priority within my police and crime plan, and they require a multi-agency approach to ensure sustainable and long-term resolutions are found.

"I am confident this funding will make a real difference to the areas outlined in Swindon and Wiltshire and look forward to seeing the plans progress to make Wiltshire safer."

Swindon Borough Council secured just under £1.5 million, in two separate bids. The first bid awarded £742,500, to be spent on introducing measures to tackle ASB and violence against women and girls.

The second bid, also for £742,500, will be spent on measures to tackle ASB.