The Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, has welcomed the news that vital work to prevent and tackle violent crime across the West Midlands will continue for another year.
The Government’s provisional police funding settlement for 2025/6, which was set out in Parliament on Tuesday 17 December, will ensure the continuation of Violence Reduction Partnerships across the country.
In the West Midlands this will mean continued investment in frontline services, which support thousands of young people who are at risk of violence or exploitation, or need help turning their lives around.
The one-year grant of around £4.3million will be the same as the funding settlement for 2024/5 and therefore represents a real-terms cut, as it fails to take into account the hike in inflation or increased National Insurance contributions.
Had the funding not been secured then the VRP would have soon had to cease most of its activities.
The Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, who chairs the West Midlands Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP) Strategic Board, said: “I have been tirelessly lobbying Government to secure the future of the VRP, which would have ceased to exist in March 2025 without a renewed funding agreement.
“Our VRP’s focus on prevention, early intervention and diversion is fundamental if we are to prevent and tackle serious youth violence and knife crime in the West Midlands. Its work also leads to a greater understanding of the root causes of youth violence, which we all benefit from.
“I welcome the news because it means this valuable work can now continue until at least March 2026.
“However, the real-terms funding cut and the short-term settlement will undermine our partner’s ability to plan ahead and offer long-term job security to their dedicated staff, which includes youth workers and mentors whose work has contributed to a decrease in youth violence across the region.”
The VRP is a partnership bringing together local authorities, the police, youth offending teams, the NHS, Public Health bodies, schools and the voluntary and faith sectors.
The Partnership currently commissions a range of interventions across Criminal Justice, Education and Health. They include St Giles Trust and Redthread, which place youth mentors at custody suites and A&E Departments.
The West Midlands VRP also works closely with West Midlands Police, to help mitigate anticipated violence in key hotspots over school holidays.
In the six months from April 2024 to September 2024, the partnerships work had reached more than 8,000 young people, contributing to an 18% reduction in youth violence involving a knife.
Its work continues at pace following the launch of the region-wide My Tomorrow campaign in May 2024, which has also reached hundreds of young people through positive events including sports festivals, careers fairs and youth summits.
The VRP has funded a £70,000 educational programme, called My Tomorrow Change Makers, which will help schools tackle the root causes of violence.
Speaking in the House of Commons, the Minister of State for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention, Dame Diana Johnson, said part of the £914.3 million pound investment in the wider policing system across England and Wales will ensure the continuation of VRUs.
She added: “The government recognises that police forces must have the right systems, capabilities and support in place to support us in meeting our mission.”
“The provisional funding allocations set out in today’s report reflect this government’s commitment to working with policing and giving it the resources required to bridge the gap between policing and our communities. This is critical for restoring the public sense of safety on our streets.”
