Nusrat Ghani, MP for Wealden, has welcomed the results of a government-funded scheme delivered by Wealden District Council, which has led to significant improvements in reducing crime and disorder in Hailsham town centre.
Last year, the council successfully bid for a £300,000 grant from the Home Office’s Safer Streets initiative to tackle above average levels of neighbourhood crime in parts of Hailsham. The funding helped pay for seven CCTV cameras in the town, two Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras within the town’s vicinity, two Youth Shelters to provide a place for young people to gather and socialise away from the town centre, the appointment of a community outreach drugs worker as well as three additional CCTV cameras at Wealden recycling points to detect fly tipping.
It also saw the introduction of a DISC system, which allows shops to share information between each other and the police about shoplifters operating in the town and other crimes that may be happening.
Nusrat Ghani said: “We are extremely lucky that Wealden continues to be a safe place to live with consistently low levels of crime. However, rare incidents of crime and burglaries do occur, and I am pleased that this targeted funding will provide Hailsham with the resources they need to tackle crime and ensure that people continue to feel safe in their homes and in their communities. I am delighted that Wealden District Council secured this key bid, and I will continue to support our local authorities in making future bids from the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund in other areas of the district. I regularly meet with representatives from the Sussex Police, and I will continue working with them on ways to keep Wealden communities safe.”
