Council secures £370,000 funding to make streets safer

The improvements will be made in areas around Stockton town centre and Parkfield after £366,289 was secured from the Government's Safer Streets fund.

The successful bid was put together by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council on behalf of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Councillor Steve Nelson, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Access, Communities and Community Safety, said: "Securing this funding is a welcome boost to tackling neighbourhood crime in targeted areas of the Borough and will reinforce the investment the Council has made to improve community safety in recent years.

"This particular area is the location of 22 per cent of all recorded crimes in the Borough. To break that down further, 17 per cent of the Borough's criminal damage and arson offences are recorded in this area, as well as 20 per cent of recorded theft offences and 20 per cent of all recorded cases of anti-social behaviour.  

"This funding will go towards a host of crime prevention measures including the installation of new and upgraded CCTV, street lighting in areas that are currently unlit, and the repair or replacement of alley gates. We know there are specific areas of concern and these kinds of measures are proven to cut crime.

"They will make a difference to our residents and wider communities. The Borough continues to be one of the safest areas in the Tees Valley and we remain committed to working with our partners to ensure it stays that way."

The funding will also be used to boost security of empty properties with protective screens to prevent access and anti-social behaviour.

And security measures such as gate locks, door chains, window sensors, alarms, and letterbox guards will also be offered to residents.

In response to the Council's bid, the Home Office said: "We were impressed that this bid effectively demonstrated the analysis and drivers of the problem in your chosen area and identified a suitable response to tackling the issues, deliverable within the 2021/22 financial year."