Home Office cash welcomed to stop serious violence

The police and crime commissioner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Darryl Preston, hopes to stop people being drawn into violence

Cambridgeshire's police and crime commissioner (PCC) hopes that £950,000 from the Home Office and a new action plan can stop the worst cases of violence occurring in the county.

The Serious Violence Partnership Strategy, published at the end of January, formalises how local partners will work together to prevent and reduce cases.

Its publication comes off the back of the new Serious Violence Duty from the government, which requires police, councils and other local services to work together to combat crime.

The county's PCC, Darryl Preston, said: "I am a firm believer that prevention is always better than cure. Prevention, cannot, however, be achieved by policing alone."

In 2023-24, Cambridgeshire has received £350,000 to support projects designed to keep communities safe and prevent violence through early intervention.

This has included knife crime awareness workshops at HMP Peterborough and support by youth workers.

In the upcoming financial year, the PCC expects to award nearly £600,000 of Home Office funding to build on this work. For example, proposals are being developed to create after-school activities.

More than 170 weapons were handed in to police during a recent countywide amnesty to tackle knife crime

The PCC said he was working with the police, probation, youth offending teams, local authorities, the integrated care board and the fire and rescue service to address the issue.

Mr Preston said: "Serious violence, including that linked to knife crime, drugs, and county lines, has a devastating impact on the lives of victims, their families and the wider community.

"While Cambridgeshire and Peterborough do not experience the same levels of violence as other areas of the country, sadly, we are not immune to it.

"To make a lasting impact on the lives of our young people, we, as a local partnership, must work collaboratively, use our individual expertise to greatest effect and support intervention at the earliest possible opportunity."