I’m pleased to announce the first round of this year’s Community Fund is now open for applications. This is a great opportunity to support community and voluntary groups in reducing crime.

Last week Matthew Barber visited youth education charity One-Eighty at their office in Oxford. The visit provided an opportunity to see first hand how PCC funding will support One-Eighty to provide additional one-to-one sessions with young people, parents and carers.

Partners across Slough are working together with communities and organisations as part of a month of action to tackle violence in all its forms.

The monument, also known as the Knife Angel, is the focal point for activity across the town in January to take a collective stand against violence. The month of action across Slough brings together Thames Valley Police, Slough Borough Council, the Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner and The Safety Centre.

“I want victims to have access to the best possible support which is why we continually strive to improve our provision in the Thames Valley. “

We have begun to see tougher sentences being imposed on those found guilty of carry knives in Thames Valley, and this combined with a swift response from the police means that many are now finding themselves stopped, held overnight, in court the next day and beginning many months in prison.

As part of an ongoing local crime survey, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley is asking residents to share views on where they would like the policing budget to be focused in 2023/24.