Blackpool receives £600k to recover from violent disorder
Following the violent disorder that broke out last month in Blackpool, Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Angela Rayner, has provided Blackpool Council with a £600k recovery fund.
The money is targeted at activities to improve community cohesion, clean ups and repair, and to improve community security and communications. The fund is flexible meaning local areas can decide how best to deliver support to the areas most affected.
In a letter to Blackpool Council Angela Rayner said: “Communities across the United Kingdom are still reeling from the tragic events in Southport and the appalling disorder that followed. I would like to thank you for your work and tireless dedication during this difficult period - local authorities have been at the forefront of the response and there have been many examples of communities coming together, proving that we are much stronger than the minority whose senseless violence and intimidation has caused such damage.”
A new Communities and Recovery Steering Group has also been formed, which met for the first time on 11th September. The Group has agreed to launch the Community Recovery Fund to support those communities most significantly impacted by the disorder.
Additionally, the Government has announced the creation of the National Violence Disorder Programme, bringing together the best policing capabilities from across the country to support arrest efforts.
Alongside this work by the Secretary for Communities, the Department for Education has published guidance on Educate Against Hate. This programme will support schools and colleges to talk to their staff and students about the violent disorder over the summer. This is one of the first steps to avoiding this kind of situation in the future by educating the younger generation about the underlying causes.
This week in the House of Commons I shared my gratitude for the hard working Lancashire officers for their courage and dedication during and since the disorder broke out.
