Tackling serious violence remains a high priority as PCC releases his latest Annual Report
31st October 2019
Mark Burns-Williamson, West Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has released his latest Annual Report detailing his work over the last year to help keep communities across the county safe.
The report highlights the efforts of the PCC and his office, along with West Yorkshire Police and many partners to tackle the key outcomes and priorities as set out in his Police and Crime Plan.
Significant achievements have been made over the last year focusing on the issues which matter most to the public such as tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, safeguarding vulnerable people, supporting victims and witnesses and making sure the criminal justice system works effectively for communities.
A specific theme in the report is tackling rising concerns regionally and nationwide about serious violence in communities.
Mark Burns-Williamson, said: "Addressing levels of serious violence has been a significant focus for me over the last year, particularly as the national lead and Chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC).
"I attended a Serious Youth Violence Summit at Downing Street and made representations on behalf of PCCs nationally. I successfully helped to co-ordinate a bid for £1.1m of Early Intervention Youth Fund monies which has gone into a number of prevention and early intervention initiatives across the county. I have also organised a bid of over £3m which has been granted to allow the creation of a West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit (VRU).
"My Safer Communities Fund made up from the Proceeds of Crime monies, had a themed grant round covering serious violence where 49 groups received a share of over £200,000. The fund continues to go from strength to strength and since I launched it in 2014 has now distributed over £2.8m to over 660 groups across West Yorkshire to help address many community safety issues.
"My Annual Report covers a whole host of work addressing the outcomes and priorities in my Police and Crime Plan such as safeguarding the vulnerable. In particularly I was very proud of the launch of the Mr Shapeshifter animation that took place in January. I funded the animation which uses a modern 'fairy tale' to depict how some adults' can abuse children's trust and highlights ways in which they can protect themselves.
"In February I published a Reducing Reoffending Strategy with West Yorkshire partners. This collective vision for addressing offenders will become a particularly important plan during the forthcoming changes to probation services following the Government's decision to bring to an end Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) contracts with the Ministry of Justice.
"Victims Services also received my continuing support as I confirmed the funding of two major services in West Yorkshire for the next 3 years. The charity Victim Support are to continue to provide our core support to victims and witnesses (including those aged 18 and under for the first time) and Restorative Solutions are to provide a county-wide restorative justice service, offering further options to victims of crime.
"The Annual Report provides a snapshot of the wide-ranging work which myself, my office, West Yorkshire Police and many partners have conducted during the last 12 months. I look forward to continuing to work positively, in partnership, to keep West Yorkshire safe and feeling safe."
To read the Annual Report visit https://www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/our-business/annual-report. Key successes from the report will also be shared across the PCC's social media channels, be sure to follow along using #WYPCCAnnualReport.