Cash boost for Greater Manchester communities

Photo: GMP

Greater Manchester Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime Beverley Hughes

Greater Manchester communities are set to benefit from more than a million-pound boost to community safety across the city-region.

The Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester has awarded a total of £1.1m to local authorities to support community safety initiatives, empower young people and build stronger communities. 

This announcement builds on the £2.8m already invested in community safety across the city-region over the next 12 months through the Community Safety Fund.

Each of the ten local authorities will receive £100,000 - with an additional £100,000 awarded to Manchester City Council - to distribute to local projects and work with communities and voluntary groups to keep people safe, reduce harm and offending, and strengthen communities. 

Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime Bev Hughes said: “This additional funding will complement and strengthen the great work that is already happening across Greater Manchester to bring our communities closer together and make our streets and homes safer.

“There is a real wealth of passion and innovation throughout our communities which I want to nurture and build on. By distributing this community cash through local authorities we can ensure it goes to where it will make the most difference, giving more local people the tools to help us make Greater Manchester one of the best places in the world to grow up, get on and grow old.”

Since 2015, £2.6m has been awarded to 245 organisations across Greater Manchester to deliver initiatives around crime prevention, protecting and supporting vulnerable people, and working with young people to raise their aspirations and give them the best start in life.

These have included support for people with mental health and substance abuse problems, theatre-based projects working with young people to explore issues of bullying and grooming, and investment in local Home Watch groups.

This year, the community grant funding is being provided directly to each local authority to allocate across their boroughs.