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[08 AUGUST 2005]
Cash boost for communities blighted by anti-social behaviour
A £1.2 million cash boost to improve neighbourhoods across the
country blighted by anti-social behaviour was announced today by
Home Office Minister Hazel Blears.
Spaces such as children's play areas, communal walkways and pathways
and alleyways behind houses that have been out of bounds for
residents will be given make-overs to make them safer, cleaner and
more attractive.
Launching the second phase of funding for Operation Gate-It, Ms
Blears said :
"We are committed to tackling anti-social behaviour. It is
completely unacceptable that there are many people unable to
make full use of communal facilities and areas where they live
simply because they have been taken over by groups of
individuals intent on creating an atmosphere of fear and
intimidation.
"By reinvesting in these areas, through better design, lighting
or simply gating them off, local people are able to reclaim
these spaces for themselves and their children, and so drive out
the anti-social minority. This builds up pride and confidence in
communities and shows that people taking a stand can really make
a difference.
"Operation Gate-It has been extremely successful in turning
round some very run down and badly-maintained areas, and today's
funding will enable many more areas to benefit from Groundwork's
expertise and ideas."
Tony Hawkhead, chief executive of Groundwork said :
"A poor quality local environment can become a magnet for
anti-social behaviour leading to a real fear of crime amongst
residents. In our experience giving people, both young and old,
the help and support to make practical changes to their shared
surroundings can go a long way towards addressing these problems
and can sometimes kick-start a wider process of renewal. As a
result people feel safer, environmental inequalities are reduced
and improvements last."
Eighty eight projects will benefit from today's funding. Seventy
seven new projects will each receive a grant of £10,000 and a
further 11 projects from the first year of Gate-It will be awarded
flagship grants of £40,000.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. For details on Operation Gate-It schemes, please contact: Graham
Duxbury, Head of Communications, Groundwork UK on 0121 237 3650 or
0771 340 3086.
2. Operation Gate-It was launched by Home Office Minister Hazel
Blears in June 2004 as part of the TOGETHER campaign to tackle
anti-social behaviour.
3. It is managed by the environmental charity
Groundwork UK and
delivered in partnership with
BTCV (British Trust for Conservation
Volunteers), and is now in its second year. Gate-It aims to
regenerate and empower communities across England and Wales to
design out crime and opportunities for joy-riding, burglary,
assault, intimidation, vandalism and graffiti by installing gates,
fencing, lighting, bollards and CCTV. A total of 88 projects have
been allocated money to deliver physical environmental improvements
to areas affected by anti-social behaviour.
Click here for more
details.
4. For more information on the work the Government is doing to
tackle anti-social behaviour, please go to :
www.TOGETHER.gov.uk
5. Groundwork is a federation of Trusts in England, Wales and
Northern Ireland, each working with their partners to improve the
quality of the local environment, the lives of local people and the
success of local businesses in areas in need of investment and
support. Groundwork's vision is of a society made up of sustainable
communities which are vibrant, healthy and safe, which respect the
local and global environment and where individuals and enterprise
prosper. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister sponsors Groundwork
to bring about environmental regeneration in deprived urban areas as
part of it's Cleaner, Safer, Greener Communities campaign. |
