Safer Streets

An application for Safer Streets Round Four funding from the Home Office was submitted by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner on behalf of partners in May 2022.

This application retained a focus on tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and increasing feelings of safety, but also included interventions to tackle specific types of ASB and potential County Lines activity in targeted locations. Notification was received from the Home Office in July that this application had been successful in full.

The funding appeared from 1st September 2022 and is to be spent over two financial years 22/23 and April to September 2023. This round of funding included a match funding requirement of a least 50% from partners.

The locations included in the application are:

• Eagle Recreation Ground, Leamington Spa
• Stubbs Pool & the Dingle, Nuneaton
• St Andrews Church, Rugby
• Recreation Ground and Railway Station, Stratford upon Avon.

Environmental interventions to be funded include new CCTV cameras, lighting improvements including new lamp columns and upgrades to LED lighting, the removal/management of vegetation, installation of physical barriers as appropriate to the location and additional landscaping. Partners will work with communities to identify and deliver solutions for a sustainable future.

The application included funding for a Safer Streets Officer to coordinate the project. Interventions at locations have been agreed with the Home Office as part of the bid. Unfortunately, there is no other monies available to target other areas.

Report concerns on StreetSafe.

Works update (May 2023):

All the environmental interventions that were planned for installation by the end of March 2023 have been completed. The majority of this work was completed in Nuneaton at Stubbs Pool and The Dingle. Lighting columns have now been converted to host the CCTV cameras. The additional lighting column has been completed. CCTV cameras have been ordered and will be installed imminently. Tarmac works have commenced for additional footpath widening. Installation and removal of trip rails/gates/chicanes and K barriers have been ordered and fabrication is underway. Sufficient funds has meant that additional trip rail and chicanes have been ordered to further secure one end of the site.

New CCTV column, Stubbs Pool, Nuneaton

New CCTV column, Camphill Health centre, Nuneaton

In Rugby, the Installation of street lighting columns has taken place and Additional LED lighting has now been completed in the Graveyard area. The new and improved lighting currently totals 57 for the area. The CCTV upgrade has been purchased and we are currently awaiting delivery.

Improved lighting to Church Walk, Rugby

New solar footpath lighting to St Andrews Gardens, Rugby

Improved lighting to Little Church Street, Rugby

In Leamington A new LED lantern was installed on the public footpath near to the canal towpath entrance to the Recreation Ground. Prior to installation this particular area was shrouded in darkness with the existing lantern hanging off. Vegetation has also been taken back around the column to provide better illumination of the footpath and entrance. This section of footpath is now well lit providing a safer route through the Recreation Ground. Planning is complete and orders have gone in for lighting columns and CCTV to be implemented in Quarter 5. Work on the wildlife garden will start in Quarter 6.

New Column to hold CCTV camera, installation scheduled for June. Eagle Rec Ground, Leamington

New Lighting column, Eagle Rec Ground, Leamington

In Stratford Planning permission has been submitted for the Train Station and CCTV Consultation is currently underway. Further planning advice was sought in relation to the Recreational ground, and it was determined that this was not required. Formal proposal for the mounting of a CCTV camera on the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has now been agreed.