An extra £500k has been injected into the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Donna Jones's Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Fund, in a push to further curb anti-social activities.

This initiative will bolster the resources available to local communities striving to make their neighbourhoods safer and more secure.

The objective is to encourage partnership solutions to consistently occurring ASB issues.

Since its inception by the PCC in July 2021, the ASB Fund has played a significant role in the receding incidences of anti-social behaviour in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

The region has witnessed a substantial drop in such incidents in the past three years.

In the period from April 2020 to March 2021, 37,325 incidents were recorded. This number fell to 29,201 for the period April 2021 to March 2022, followed by a further decrease to 22,418 incidents from April 2022 to March 2023.

PCC Donna Jones said: “For too long, communities across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have been blighted by anti-social behaviour. Residents, businesses and neighbourhoods continually tell me that ASB makes them feel unsafe.

“As Police Commissioner, tackling this scourge is always on my radar. I want to reassure everyone that I’m doing everything in my power to reverse this damaging and destructive behaviour.

“As a collective, we can do more to bring neighbourhoods out from under the shadow of ASB. I am continually listening to communities across the two counties and I’ve enabled this further funding to be available for interventions and projects that make a real difference.

“My ASB Fund is having a clear and positive impact. This partnership approach and responsiveness to community need must be continued because together we can make safer and stronger communities.”

Funding this year has supported various projects, including electric bikes for local police, summer youth engagement in Portsmouth, a pilot programme in Rushmoor, plus workshops and a fair in Southampton to address youth knife crime.

A youth outreach trial in Ryde, Isle of Wight, has also benefited. Local authorities, MPs and Community Safety Partnerships have been notified of this additional funding.

Those wishing to bid can request a form and guidance by emailing ASBFund@hampshire.police.uk.