Every local authority in Scotland is invited to apply for funding from the Scottish Government to help ensure that people going out for the night can enjoy themselves in a safe environment.
Last year’s Safer Streets funding awards benefited projects around Scotland. Community Safety Partnerships in all 32 local authorities used funding for community safety initiatives including high visibility police patrols in ‘hot spot’ areas, targeting of street drinkers and late night taxi marshals.
Minister for Community Safety Fergus Ewing said:
“With recorded crime at a 30-year low and a record number of police officers serving our communities, making Scotland safer and stronger is a priority for this Government.
“Once again this funding is aimed at supporting community safety projects that seek to make nights out a safer experience for all.
“Last year’s funding awards offered far-reaching benefits in towns and cities across Scotland. From redesigned taxi queues to improve passenger safety to an increase in high visibility police patrols in more than two thirds of local authority areas around Scotland, Safer Streets funding has played a key role in improving safety and confidence over the winter months.
“We are committed to work together to help ensure that people can go out and have an enjoyable, relaxing time.”
The Safer Streets initiative is a nationally directed, locally delivered programme, building upon existing partnership working to conduct high visibility, high impact, joint initiatives to reduce alcohol-related violence and disorder in city and town centres.
Long term, it aims to encourage Community Safety Partnerships to build capacity, encourage innovation, deliver a sustainable change to practice and share that practice.
Guidance and application forms are being distributed directly to Community Safety Partnerships.
The last tranche of Safer Streets funding of £400,000 was made available to Community Safety Partnerships from November 2009 to March 2010.
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