HC Deb 31 October 1988 vol 139 c472W
Mr. Knowles

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in developing his Department's safer cities project in Nottingham; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John Patten

I visited Nottingham on 24 October and was pleased to note the progress which had been made since my right hon. Friend announced, on 9 July, that Nottingham had agreed to become a safer cities area. The first meeting of the local steering committee took place on 4 October, with representatives of the city and county councils, police, probation, chamber of commerce and industry, community relations council and council for voluntary service. The recruitment of a project co-ordinator, assistant co-ordinator and personal assistant is now under way. A crime profile of the area is being compiled to provide an objective base for decisions and will enable the local steering committee to agree priorities for local action to tackle these locally identified crime problems.

My hon. Friend will know that Home Office funding is available for the project staff, running costs and for some grant aid.