Officers in Brunswick, Blackpool, have received £15,000 in funding to deter anti-social behaviour (ASB) from the ward.

Through Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden’s Safer Lancashire Neighbourhoods Fund, local officers, Blackpool Council and local Youth Offending Teams (YOT) applied for £10,000 to put towards diversionary activities for young people, which has been accepted.

LANPAC (Lancashire Partnership Against Crime) have also put £5,000 towards the project, securing a total of £15,000.

PC Sean Dixon, ASB Prevention Coordinator, said: “We have a lot of plans for this funding, including a huge range of diversionary activities. These activities will be highly tailored and targeted, to prevent exploitation and allow services to positively engage with young people.

“They may also have an element of educational benefit, such as cooking sessions, to help further the development of life skills. Other activities may involve mentoring and/or coaching – we are exploring using a service set up by ex Royal Marines that provide coaching and mentoring to young people who struggle.”

Andrew Snowden, Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire, said: “This is exactly what my Safer Lancashire Neighbourhood fund is all about, using cash seized from criminals and investing it back into projects that make Lancashire safer.

“I recently visited Brunswick Ward in Blackpool during the launch of Op Centurion, our dedicated campaign getting tough on anti-social behaviour with proactive patrols aimed at reducing ASB which this project supports and builds on.

“As I continue to lead the fight against crime, I will work closely with the Constabulary and partners across Lancashire so that any investment we make delivers value for money and, crucially, positive results that make a lasting difference.”

To find out more about Op Centurion and how we’re tacking ASB in Lancashire, visit Lancashire Tackling Anti Social Behaviour (lancashire-pcc.gov.uk)