Community Safety Serious Violence Fund 2024/25

York BID Taxi Marshal Programme

The York Business Improvement District (BID) – ££9,078.00 awarded – York

The Taxi Marshal Programme involves the deployment of two taxi marshals on Duncombe Place and St Saviourgate at peak times. These are the two busiest ranks in York city centre and often have long queues. Two marshals will be in place at both ranks from 11pm-3am on Friday and Saturday nights at key times throughout the year, including school holidays and race weekends. The programme is designed to promote public safety and improve people’s experience and perceptions of York’s nighttime environment. This is achieved through an early intervention approach to reducing crime and Anti-Social-Behaviours. The primary aims of the programme are to Prevent crime and Anti-Social Behaviour, promote safety and reduce risk and fear of crime at night, improve the efficiency of the taxi ranks, support victims and potential victims of crime.

Community Conferencing

Restorative Solutions – £3,166.00 awarded – Countywide

Funding will provide continuous delivery between the end date of the previous grant for this purpose and the start date of the one year extension of the overall Restorative Justice Contract, which will now include funding for this role/activity. This will ensure seamless service transition and continued delivery of the Community Conferencing project. The project has been proven to work, having been running successfully for the past 12 months as a pilot. As at 1st April 2024, the service had delivered and completed 4 community conferences and has 6 further cases open and active. Community Conferencing is a restorative intervention utilised to tackle an incident or on-going situation that has affected a wider group of people. Community conferencing can be used to tackle a criminal act, a problem with anti-social behaviour or neighbour disputes. Community conferences can be utilised as a part of the criminal justice system.

Stepping Up

North Yorkshire Sport – £30,000.00 awarded –  Countywide

Stepping Up supports early intervention to divert children and young people who have not yet entered the criminal justice system but are potentially at risk of doing so. The project will support young people aged 7-14, with a focus on the transformational transition from primary to secondary school as a key stepping stone. Project will work in communities to target areas of concern and positively impact on local communities and its residents. Young people referred will be supported through mentoring from an Athlete Mentor; a sporting champion who has achieved highly in their sport with a story to tell and parallels to draw on to relate to a young people and their journey to success.  Young people will be identified for the project through collaboration with education, community safety, statutory and voluntary services and North Yorkshire Police. Delivered countywide, project will support local priorities and shape the intervention to meet the needs of each community.  Funding would enable Stepping Up delivery  for another year. This will allow mentors to work with more young people (YP) but also those YP who have previously engaged to continue to engage in the support available both 121 and in group holiday sessions. It will enable the project to refine work to focus on targeted communities, including those in the Clear Hold Build areas, responding to insight and need supporting local priorities.

Riverside Marshal

York BID – £2,728.80 awarded – York

The provision of a riverside marshal is an early intervention approach that considers how people use the city and what they need to feel safe. The project involves positioning a dedicated and trained marshal on King’s Staith in central York from 12-8pm every Saturday throughout the summer, focusing on public safety and promoting a vibrant, safe, and well managed riverside environment. The marshals will work closely with door staff to identify potential offenders and victims of crime and anti-social-behaviour (ASB), liaise with York Rescue Boat, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue and other frontline organisations where needed, provide first aid, and be a friendly and reassuring presence to those visiting the area. Aims include Enhancing Public Safety and Education. These will be achieved through being a visible presence and supporting door staff and York Rescue Boat in identifying and responding to a range of public safety issues along the river, including alcohol-related ASB. The marshals will also engage with visitors to promote enjoying the area safely and warn against jumping in or swimming in the river where necessary, which has previously resulted in injury and death. Through proactive engagement, the marshal will address visitor concerns, provide directions, and ensure a welcoming riverside environment for all. This funding will enable the BID to extend the project to include more weekends.