PCC agrees funding for Essex Neighbourhood Watch
Roger Hirst, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex, has agreed a £10,500 funding grant for Neighbourhood Watch in Essex. The funding is provided from the Community Safety Fund which offers grants to help build community cohesion and community safety throughout the county.
Mr Hirst, said: “Neighbourhood Watch do a great job in communities throughout Essex. Working with the police they help provide intelligence to officers, support the elderly and vulnerable and go out of their way to make their local area safer.
“As I visit the different areas of our country, I regularly hear cases of where information and input from Neighbourhood Watch has provided the vital piece of intelligence to apprehend and bring to justice criminals. These small examples happen across our country and together make a significant contribution to catching criminals and creating safe and secure communities.
“Just knowing that Neighbourhood Watch are active in an area can play a large part in preventing crime for happening in the first place.”
Neighbourhood Watch has in excess of 100.000 members across Essex with at least 2500 groups across the 14 districts.
The funding is shared between Neighbourhood Watch groups across the county with each district receiving £500 and a central fund used to pay for newsletters, promotional material and specific recruitment campaigns.
Clive Stewart Chairman Essex County Neighbourhood Watch Association said: “Our members come from all walks of life and provide a wide range of support from helping their neighbours to be more effective in protecting their own property and helping those who may feel vulnerable to do the same and also becoming involved in police activities as Active Citizens. This ongoing funding helps to support that work and to continue to grow our membership. It also recognises the close working relationship between Neighbourhood Watch Groups, Local Policing Teams and the community.”
