Dartford MP, Dr Howard Stoate has welcomed a £40,000 windfall for a community safety project in Bridges Drive in Temple Hill from cash and assets seized from wealthy criminals.

The £4 million ‘Community Cashback’ fund is a new initiative from the Home Office which gives local people a direct say on how criminal assets are spent in the fight against crime and antisocial behaviour. More than 45,000 members of the public voted on 1,225 community projects via a dedicated website, neighbourhood policing meetings and through Citizens’ Panels.

The windfall money will be spent on the installation of fencing and security gates around a communal area belonging to flats in Bridges Drive whose tenants have experienced major problems with anti-social behaviour in recent years. Refuse sheds have been set fire to and emptied while residents have felt intimidated by youths loitering on stairwells, who in some cases have kicked in and set fire to doors. Once the gates are installed only tenants of the flats will be able to gain access to the communal areas.

Dr Stoate, who was a Parliamentary Private Secretary in the Home Office when legislation allowing the Government to seize the assets of convicted criminals was passed in 2002 said;

“This is great news for residents of the flats. The new fencing and gates will give them peace of mind and help to put an end to the anti-social behaviour problems they’ve been having. I’m sure that local people will also be delighted to see money seized from criminals used for the benefit of the community in this way.”

The Home Secretary, Alan Johnson MP said;

“It is only right that criminals are made to payback for their crimes. The Community Cashback fund ensures some of their ill gotten gains are ploughed back into local communities. Seizing assets deprives criminals of money, reduces the incentive for crime and promotes fairness and confidence in the criminal justice system. I’m glad so many people have got involved either by putting forward plans to improve their neighbourhoods or voting for their favourite project.

Notes

For more information visit www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Details of the projects which are being funded through Community Cashback can be found at http://cashback.cjsonline.gov.uk.