Today Police and Crime Commissioner Jane Kennedy announced a new fund of £135,000 to support local organisations fighting the causes of gang activity on the streets of Merseyside.

The fund offers local charities and community groups the opportunity to apply for extra funding to help keep young people off the streets and prevent them from getting involved in gangs.

The Crime Prevention Fund allows groups to submit bids for funding of between £5,000 and £25,000 to support innovative community safety projects or schemes aimed at tackling this issue. I hope some of this money will come to Garston and Halewood.

If your organisation could benefit you can read more and apply here.

The closing date for applications is4pm on Friday 8th September 2017.

Community groups are well placed to divert young people from activity that can lead to involvement in gangs. There‘s a strong link between gang activity and the recent surge in gun crime on Merseyside. Criminals target young people as new recruits, so this funding stream can really make a difference.

Diverting young people into constructive activity and partnership working with Merseyside Police has been a key part of defeating organised crime in the past, but cuts in available grant have restricted the ability of local groups and limited the capacity for proactive policing that we know works.

I have been leading an effort to get more resource for Merseyside Police to tackle the surge in gun crime. The Home Secretary has promised that a package will be forthcoming in reply to my Parliamentary Question but there is no concrete offer as yet.

I’ll continue to press the Home Secretary to provide more funding to ensure Merseyside Police have the resources they need. Meanwhile, I welcome the PCC’s initiative and I urge local organisations in Garston and Halewood who think they can help to apply to the fund.