Crime commissioner opens latest community fund grant round

Applications for up to £7,500 can now be submitted and will be considered by an Independent Advisory Board.

This latest grant round comes nine months after the launch of the fund with £567,000 distributed to date.

Money seized from criminals under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) is fed into this single community pot exclusively for local community safety initiatives.

Videos from the first grant round, including successful projects in Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, will be released over the coming week, showing the work that has been done with the money to ensure communities are safer and feel safer.

West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson said: “I launched the Safer Communities Fund at the start of this year to support local groups, organisation and charities that deliver upon community safety.

“It is great to see the work that has been enabled due to the fund so far and I hope the videos of successful projects will encourage more projects to apply.

“There’s been unprecedented interest in the fund, with hundreds of groups from across West Yorkshire applying to receive a share of £567, 000 which has been distributed to date.

“Each must reflect priorities and outcomes outlined in my refreshed Police and Crime Plan http://www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/our-business/the-police-crime-plan.aspx to make our communities safer and feel safer.”

The closing date for applications is the December 5 and more information on the fund can be found on at www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk