Dartford awarded community cash back funds
A Community project in Dartford has been given £40,000 of funding as part of a scheme that puts money confiscated from criminals to good use.
The funding has been made available through the Government’s Community Cashback initiative which uses money taken from the proceeds of crime to fund grassroots neighbourhood projects that make a real difference to people’s everyday lives.
A nationwide scheme, Community Cashback is administered locally by the Kent Criminal Justice Board which last year urged community groups across the county to submit bids for funding.
Dartford Borough Council successfully bid for a total of £40,000 that will be used to provide security fencing and security gates around the communal areas used by residents living in flats at Bridges Drive, Dartford.
The money has now been released.
Communal grounds on flatted estates are vital to any community providing an enclosed and safe space for neighbours to chat, children to play and space to hang washing and locate bin stores. However over the past five years the communal grounds at Bridges Drive have been a source of complaints. In order to tackle these issues Dartford Borough Council will use the Cashback money to install fencing and security gates to ensure that only tenants – 84 families in total – can gain access to the communal areas.
Works could be completed within three months of the grant thereby immediately enhancing resident’s feelings of safety, while preventing further vandalism putting the communal area back at the heart of the community.
Deputy Chief Constable of Kent Adrian Leppard, who chairs the Kent Criminal Justice Board, said: “Community Cashback is a national initiative administered locally by local criminal justice boards. Here in Kent we are delighted with the response to the scheme and with the diversity of the various community groups that were successful in their bids for funding.
“That money from the proceeds of crime has been confiscated and put to good use funding grass roots projects throughout Kent and beyond is another example of the criminal justice system having a positive impact at neighbourhood level.
“I’m pleased that through Community Cashback we’ve been able to help Dartford Borough Council achieve its very worthwhile goal and make a beneficial difference to local people’s everyday lives.”
