Funding success for the BID helping to shape city centre safety

Two new roles will be created to help create a safer, cleaner environment essential for all who visit, shop, stay, live, and work in the city.

Funding success for the BID helping to shape city centre safety

Stoke-on-Trent City Council in collaboration with the city’s Business Improvement District (The BID) has been awarded UK Shared Prosperity Funding to support a new city centre safety initiative.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has been awarded £9,477,820 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to deliver projects that support local businesses, improve local spaces and assist residents with employment and skills.

Two new roles will be created to help create a safer, cleaner environment essential for all who visit, shop, stay, live, and work in the city.
A Street Ranger will specialise in security for both businesses and the public across the city centre, the role will work closely with Staffordshire Police and local businesses to help deter anti-social behaviour and shop theft.

A Street Ambassador will hold responsibility for cleanliness and hygiene, assisting the City Council’s street cleansing teams with graffiti and fly-posting issues.

Councillor Amjid Wazir, cabinet member for city pride, enforcement, and sustainability said: “We welcome all funding to help make the city centre an attractive place to visit, shop and utilise. We know anti-social behaviour in the city centre is a problem, one that we are working to tackle.
Having a physical presence will act as a deterrent, and as the new roles build we hope this will encourage more visitors to the city centre.”

Inspector Hayley Eaton, from the Stoke North local policing team, said: “The best way for us to tackle the growing concerns within the community the priorities of residents and businesses in Stoke-on-Trent is to collaborate with our partner organisations effectively.

“Anti-social behaviour and theft can have profound impacts on people, businesses and livelihoods. Initiatives like this help us to work proactively across the city to root out these issues, support those affected by them and prevent crime and disorder in the first place.

“We look forward to continuing our partnership working and proactively policing Stoke-on-Trent.”

Richard Buxton, CEO Stoke-on-Trent City Centre Business Improvement District said: “Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID is delighted to receive this funding award from the UKSPF. This again highlights our City Council's commitment to the cleanliness & security in our City Centre in addition to their support for the work that the BID does on behalf of our Levy Payers."