Crime and safety budget halved despite Rhys Jones shooting

Feb 21 2008 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

THE Government has more than halved its contribution to community safety schemes in Liverpool, despite the murder of 11-year-old Rhys Jones.

Recent work in reducing crime and anti-social behaviour is now under threat, an internal Liverpool council briefing paper has warned.

The Government has cut the city’s Safer and Stronger Communities grant from £3.6m to £1.7m from April.

That money is mainly used to fund “crime and grime” initiatives to tackle low-level crime and anti-social behaviour, which often rates high on the priorities of residents.

The document warns that planned investment in the city’s CCTV network, contributions to help the police fund Police Community Support Officers and campaigns to clean up the city are under threat.

The emergence of the document comes on the eve of the six-month anniversary of the shooting of Rhys Jones in Croxteth Park last year.

Last night, the council’s community safety leader Cllr Colin Eldridge accused the Government of reneging on indications there would be cash to follow on from the Safer and Stronger Communities Fund.

He said imposing cuts like these in a city that had suffered from dreadful crimes like the killing of young Rhys Jones was “ridiculous”.

Cllr Eldridge said: “Community Safety is the crime-fighting wing of the council, tackling anti-social behaviour and low-level criminal activity which the public often complain about the most, and now the Government is going to cut £1.7m in grant funding.

“We know there is a squeeze on at Whitehall so they are reducing funding, but the problem with a lot of community safety stuff is that they arethree-year programmes – and they say there’s going to be something to follow it.

“There was an indication there would be a grant to follow (the Safer and Stronger Communities Fund), but that has not happened.

“They are now stopping the money and saying you can carry on the programme if you want it.”

Cllr Eldridge said he had asked council officers to see what they could do to reduce the impact of the cuts.

“We are working around the clock not to let this affect what we are delivering. It’s a challenge.”

“This is a slap in the face to the people of Liverpool who have had a terrible deal compared to almost any other city.”

Labour opposition leader Cllr Joe Anderson last night defended the Government’s record in Liverpool.

“Everybody was fully aware that it was an enhanced grant to give people the opportunity to build partnerships and that it was coming to an end.

“This is a bit rich from this council that is spending £10m a year on publicity.”

A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government, which is responsible for the largest element of the grant, said the figures “were in line with previously published guidance”.

Its element has reduced from £2.8m to £1.2m with the remainder being provided by the Home Office.

“We are also removing ring-fencing so that local leaders who know their communities best decide how to spend this money.

“Liverpool is also receiving a £6m increase in core funding next year,” he said.

The council’s internal document states: “Partners are aware of this time expiry element of funding, which has helped bring about new ways of joint working around ‘crime and grime’ issues.

“However, partners will not be able to sustain current levels of partnership activity without the same levels of funding being made available again in 08/09.

“The city council and its Citysafe partners have worked effectively to reduce crime, disorder, anti-social behaviour, drugs and substance misuse over the past few years and partners have achieved significant crime reductions.

“However, there are risks to future performance and service delivery."

davidbartlett