Neighbourhood management and public reassurance funds will be cut following a slashing of budgets for community safety in Cardiff.
A new report released by Cardiff council today details which projects will be cut – including funds set aside for preventative measures for potential victims of burglary, hate crime and sexual abuse.
The Home Office announced earlier this month Safer Capital funds would be cut to the police by 58% for 2011/2012 - reducing the budget from £699,210 to £294,493. The budget for 2012/2013 would also be cut by just under £150,000 taking effect from April next year. Partners met last month to discuss the effect the cuts could have on Cardiff's safety.
The neighbourhood management fund will be but from £76,000 in 2010/11 to £0 – meaning a 'reduced capability of the city's six neighbourhood management teams and neighbourhood police teams to respond to citizen-identified crime and ASB issues'.
South Wales Police last week announced 200 jobs are expected to go as part of the changes to the management structures in the force to deal with the cuts.
Cardiff Street Pastors, which previously received money from the Safer Capital fund to provide the city centre service was under threat of closing down after the news, but was given an anonymous donation earlier this week which saved the initiative.
The report will go to the community and adults services scrutiny committee next week and also states that a reduced level of funding will be given to the Cardiff Sexual Assault Referral Centre. Neighbourhood tasking will also be cut following the funding decision.
Download details of the report here.
Alley-gating schemes update
The same committee will also look at a new report detailing the current status of the alley-gating schemes in Cardiff.
Alley-gating involves the installation of lockable gates to the ends of alleyways (also known as 'lanes' or 'gulleys'), to prevent the access to problem alleyways or highways by unauthorised people, reducing the opportunity to commit crime or behave in an anti-social way. Alley gating schemes can complement other efforts to reduce and prevent crime or antisocial behaviour.
As at 18 March 2011, 220 cases have been referred for consideration for alley-gating, and as of 31 March, 53 gating schemes will have been completed. In 2011/12 there will be £150,000 available for alley-gating, equating to approximately 20 gating schemes.
The reports states "a major piece of work is being undertaken to develop a database on which all requests for gating schemes can be logged and recorded".
Download a full copy of the report here.
What do you think of the most recent cuts? Leave your comment below.
