Police commissioner commits £10,000 to community projects in Lampeter

Community groups in Lampeter will soon have the chance to apply for funds from a pot of £10,000 committed by Dyfed-Powys Police Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn.

The commissioner has called on groups to take advantage of funding for projects that aim to improve safety in the area.

Mr Llywelyn has committed £140,000 for Neighbourhood Policing Teams to spend within the communities they serve. Each team will receive £10,000, with communities themselves voting on how the money is allocated.

Lampeter is next on the list of events – and the NPT is calling on partner organisations and people who live or work in the town to join forces and form a community planning group to make key decisions.

Mr Llywelyn said: “I have committed to fund this new and innovative approach to community funding as I think it’s vital that local residents have a say in how money is spent in their local area.

“They are best placed to work with the police, and indeed other partner agencies, to identify where the money is needed and what would most benefit the local communities.

“Communities should be influencing the decisions.

“I urge the various community groups in Lampeter to consider the funding that I have made available, and to contact the Lampeter NPT to discuss ideas, so the whole community can work together to improve community safety.”

The planning group will attend several meetings – either socially distanced or online – over the next few months to agree on key decisions and planning. Details will then be released on how groups can apply for the funding, and an event will take place, giving people a chance to vote on which projects should benefit.

Superintendent Ifan Charles, force lead on participatory budgeting, said: “Participatory budgeting is a way of giving communities a greater say in how their community evolves.

“Problem solving to find long term solutions to solve the issues that cause communities the greatest harm, is at the core of our new neighbourhood policing model.

“Through informed community engagement and problem solving, the new neighbourhood structure should reduce the long-term harm for our communities and with that, demand on our response officers, but this will only work if our communities and partners are equally engaged.

“Participatory budgeting has worked really well elsewhere and I’m really excited to lead the introduction of this innovative approach here.”

If you live, work or play in Lampeter and would like to be involved, or if you have any questions, please register an interest at LampeterPB@dyfed-powys.pnn.police.uk

Follow the NPT on Twitter at @LampeterPolice for further updates. #LampeterPB