The Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Police and Crime Commissioner, Rupert Matthews, insists he is very keen to support initiatives and projects in Rutland, despite the latest applications failing to meet funding criteria.

Applications for funding Round 6 were open from Monday 14 November 2022 to Friday 9 December 2022.

Of the 100 plus received by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC), only four were from Rutland, none of which met the criteria to be awarded.

Commissioner Matthews says he wants to support people with projects in Rutland, adding: "This grants scheme channels funding into community projects that help reduce the risk of crime and abuse, and increase public safety.

"The fund, worth £650,000 over a two-year period (2021-22 and 2022-23), awards grants to local organisations with successful applications and where the projects support the Commissioner's key safety priorities – part of the Police and Crime Plan.

"Despite the four applications from Rutland not meeting the criteria for funding in this round, I am still very keen to support initiatives and projects in Rutland, and I urge groups and individuals to apply to this fund. To ensure that there is parity across the area, I will be holding grant workshops in the coming year. At least one of these will be held in Rutland.

"The purpose of these workshops will be to make organisations aware of the funding available and provide some training on what we are looking for in an application. This will hopefully increase the geographical spread of applications received and funding awarded across the force area."

The grants scheme channels funding into community projects that help reduce the risk of crime and abuse and increase public safety, and the Commissioner's Police and Crime Plan sets out ambitious goals to reduce violent crime and improve the quality of service for domestic abuse investigations, including greater use of body-worn cameras and domestic violence protection orders/perpetrator programmes.

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The Commissioner is keen to hear from organisations that can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those living in Leicestershire, Leicester, and Rutland.

The fund is open for applications from any community-based group, parish council, school, or business, assuming that the group can match-fund and supply their service free of charge. Grants up to a maximum of £10,000 will be allocated per project.

The Commissioner does provide funding to the Safer Rutland Partnership, which in the coming year will amount to £19,296.80 - over £4,000 more than in previous years.

For more information contact The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Police Headquarters, St Johns, Enderby, Leicestershire LE19 2BX.