Uproar as Government quietly slashes promised Women’s Safety funding just days before announcing own plans to tackle spiking

UPROAR as Government quietly slashes Northumbria’s Safer Streets funding days before announcing its own plans to tackle spiking.

Commissioner Kim McGuinness has hit out at the hypocrisy of Government for announcing its own plans to tackle spiking – just after taking away £180K of North East funds to tackle that very problem.

In what the Commissioner calls an ‘under the radar reversal’ Home Office officials have announced they are pulling the plug on a third of the funding promised for the Government’s Safer Streets project.

In the Northumbria Police force area, this funds operations dedicated to catching anyone who commits crimes like spiking or preying on vulnerable people in the night-time economy.

The plans, which focus on increased patrols, wardens and CCTV monitoring will now have to be reviewed with considerable cutbacks made.

The Commissioner says it’s too early to say how stripped back activity might look but conversations had started with partners to find the most cost-effective ways to ensure key work is able to continue.

Police Commissioner Kim McGuinness said: “Government’s taking £180K from us here in the North East to tackle issues like spiking while shouting about their own crackdown intentions. My office is getting emails about significant funding cuts to work we already have in progress.

“The Home Secretary has said tackling Violence Against Women and Girls is a personal priority and how Government will do what is necessary to keep people safe. Pulling £180,000 of funding to tackle this is certainly not necessary nor is it making something a priority – it’s anything but. They’re trying to pull wool over people’s eyes with this.

“By Government’s own admission, ‘Safer Streets is growing confidence in policing’ – yet it’s slashing our funding to deliver the very work that is making an impact.”

She added: “We are having to have the difficult conversations with partners, with councils about how we can work around the financial damage here. There is a huge backlash locally as this is, yet another Government imposed barrier to us getting on with the job and keeping people safe.

“You can’t quietly slash funding one minute, leaving local projects in the balance, and yet make big claims and promises in the same breath. It’s a betrayal on public safety and a betrayal on those already working to improve women’s safety in public places in the North East.”

 

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