THE Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire has pledged £1million to continue funding projects designed to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour across the county.

Martin Surl made the promise at a gathering of neighbourhood and community volunteers at an event to mark the start of his fourth year in office at Hatherley Manor Hotel near Gloucester last Tuesday.

The money will be divided and invested into projects throughout the county.

Speaking to a crowd representing areas across Gloucestershire, Mr Surl said the benefits of the projects justified the significant financial sum.

He said: “It is a significant amount of money but how it is being spent is what is important.

“The success of these projects is helping to reduce demand on the police and is an essential element of community policing.

“I have always said communities have an important role to play in reducing crime because the police can’t do it on their own.

“That’s why I set out to involve community and voluntary sectors in my police and crime plan and I am delighted they have bought into the idea so effectively and with such enthusiasm.

“I believe communities can make an effective contribution towards crime prevention and it’s important they know their funding is secure – at least until March, 2017 – as I have promised from day one.

“It’s the police and the public working together.”

The commissioner’s fund draws on the PCC’s annual budget and funding from the Ministry of Justice.

Mr Surl set up the fund following his election in 2012 to support schemes put forward by local people to make their communities safer.

Since then more than 200 neighbourhood projects and organisations have received funding to help get their ideas off the ground.

Mr Surl beat Conservative candidate Victoria Atkins by more than 4,000 votes in 2012 to become Gloucestershire’s first PCC.

The next PCC elections are due to be held in May next year and he has said that he will run for the position again.

For more information on the Office of the PCC and which projects receive investment from the fund visit gloucestershire-pcc.gov.uk.