Commissioner visits Stoke-on-Trent to see funded projects in action
Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire and Rescue and Crime Ben Adams and Deputy Commissioner Helen Fisher visited organisations in Stoke-on-Trent last week to hear more about ongoing work to tackle anti-social behaviour and business crime in communities.
Partnership Against Business Crime in Staffordshire (PABCIS), The Stoke-on-Trent Business Improvement District (BID), The Hive Community Centre and The Portland Inn Project CIC all received funding from the Staffordshire Commissioner’s Office last year for community projects totalling over £15,000.
Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime, Ben Adams said: “Business crime and anti-social behaviour are a priority in my Police & Crime Plan and they are topics that are always mentioned when I speak with residents and business owners.
“It was good to hear about how funding provided through my office is truly making a difference to the lives of people living and working in Stoke-on-Trent.”
The week began with a trip to Hanley where the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner met with representatives from PABCIS and Stoke-on-Trent BID, organisations which work hand in hand to support businesses who experience anti-social behaviour and theft in the city.
PABCIS received £3,550 from the Safer Streets Fund which enabled businesses in Blurton to have a PABCIS membership and access to their radio system. The radios system is used by other businesses and partnership agencies, including the police and Stoke-on-Trent BID, to communicate when issues arise.
Stoke-on-Trent BID have been working in the city centre since 2018 and now support over 700 businesses and the general public on a daily basis. The organisation was given £5000 from the Safer Streets Fund for a Street Ambassador post who works closely with businesses and the police in Hanley.
The Deputy Commissioner went back to Stoke-on-Trent on Thursday (29 February) to visit the Portland Inn Project, a community interest company working on Portland Street, Hanley, to improve the area for residents and reduce ASB.
The Portland Inn Project was given £5000 from the Commissioner’s Community Change Fund to support a fly tipping project whereby local children worked with artists to produce weatherproof posters that aim to discourage people from littering.
The project helped the children to feel proud about where they live and the Portland Inn Project continues to hold weekly events to strengthen community relationships.
The last stop of the week saw Helen visit the Hive Community Centre in Blurton, another recipient of Safer Streets funding.
The area often sees an increase in anti-social behaviour over the school holidays when parents are at work.
Therefore, the Hive used just over £2000 to provide a four-day summer holiday club for children who worked together throughout the week to design and produce a mural for their community garden.
To find out more about how the Staffordshire Commissioner’s Office helps fund community projects, visit our website: Community Funding – Staffordshire Commissioner (staffordshire-pfcc.gov.uk)
To watch a video from the Deputy Commissioner Helen Fisher about the week’s visits, go to: https://youtu.be/LsNu29cql4Y?si=LiKbxSgeJCS3jyal
