£250K crime prevention project aims to make Melton safer

Celebrating the crime prevention investment, from left: Charlie Charico (Deputy PCC), Sajan Devshi (OPCC Commissioning Team), David Walker and Marie Delpech-Anthoine (Melton Borough Council), Morgan Carter and Rahma Begum (OPCC Communications), Councillor Sharon Butcher (Melton Borough Council)

A £250,000 investment in crime prevention at Melton Mowbray, including comprehensive CCTV coverage, has been completed ahead of schedule.

Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Rupert Matthews has worked with local authority representatives, the police and safety experts in a bid to make the town centre safer for residents and businesses.

The PCC secured the funding from the Home Office's Safer Streets Fund in 2023 and initiatives have been installed over the last 18 months.

Celebrating completion of the project, Mr Matthews said: "I'm extremely proud to reach this exciting milestone, which is testament to the commitment and hard work of the entire Safer Streets 5 team.

"The technology and equipment funded through this project is allowing us to take robust and proactive action against the issues that matter most to our residents and already we are seeing positive results."

In toughening up household security, the project funded more than 600 units of CCTV equipment for residents which have already been successfully used to gather evidence for Closure Orders and 188 free window and door alarms have been issued.

Twelve solar lamp posts have been installed at the local skatepark to address anti-social behaviour in the evenings and to reduce risk.

Elsewhere, a new WCCTV Help Point System has been funded that enables a person in distress to instantly communicate with the force or local authority CCTV control room while three new CCTV cameras and four fly-tipping cameras have been funded to tackle environmental crime.

In addition, the partners delivered two youth intervention projects to divert young people away from crime in the town and funded the training and upskilling of council and police staff on tackling ASB issues.

Mr Matthews added: "Alongside increasing opportunities for enforcement and evidence-gathering, these interventions are also helping to increase feelings of safety and confidence which are vital for mental wellbeing and quality of life.

"Prevention is the overarching theme of my Police and Crime Plan.

"Through Safer Streets, we have shown the powerful impact of working together to solve problems and I have no doubt that the relationships we have fostered during the Safer Streets journey will continue to serve us well beyond the scope of this project.”