ST Helens Council will receive £175,000 to help tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.

In 2019-20, Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner Jane Kennedy will award crime and disorder reduction grants totalling £2.8 million to Merseyside Police, the region’s Community Safety Partnerships and two voluntary sector organisations.

Of that figure, St Helens Council will be awarded £175,000.

A delegated decision has now been taken to accept the funds, which will be used to tackle community safety priorities at a local level as set out in the PCC’s crime reduction strategy 2017-21.

The money will be awarded to the People’s Board, where the responsibilities of the Community Safety Partnership now sit.

Representatives from Merseyside Police, St Helens Council, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, Merseyside Probation Trust and health services all sit on the People’s Board.

Members of the board have a statutory duty to work together to tackle crime and disorder, reduce re-offending, tackle alcohol and substance misuse and any other behaviour that has a negative effect on the local environment.

The People’s Board is responsible for the strategic assessment of these issues and the development of local strategies to address them.

As part of the awarding of the crime and disorder reduction grant, various conditions will be applied.