Assets seized from criminals have paid for a new community bus that will help bring the community of Birmingham closer by offering free transport to local residents and young people.
The bus will help them access vital local social and community services as well as providing new opportunities and friendships.
Justice Minister Claire Ward cut the ribbon to launch the Lozells Community Bus today (21 January 2010) and joined community members and the neighbourhood policing team on board for its maiden journey.
The neighbourhood policing team for Lozells, East Handsworth and Birchfield was awarded £20,000 to pay for the bus from a Community Cashback fund that directs the ill-gotten gains confiscated from crooks to worthwhile projects.
Justice Minister Claire Ward said:
‘The Lozells Community Bus is an excellent example of how the local criminal justice bodies can and are successfully working hand-in-hand with the community to tackle a real local problem. At the same time they’re helping divert young people towards worthwhile activities and making it easier for valuable community groups to get around.
‘It’s more important than ever that the public can see and influence how justice is being delivered in their local area. It is also right that criminals are made to pay back for their crimes. The Community Cashback fund ensures that some of their ill-gotten gains are ploughed back into local communities.
‘The Community Cashback scheme is just one way that communities are given a stronger voice and the chance to help shape the criminal justice system. It follows in the footsteps of other successful initiatives including Community Payback, Community Prosecutors and restorative justice programmes, all of which aim to ensure that justice is not only done, but seen to be done.’
The Lozells Community Bus is one of 283 community projects across England and Wales to secure a share of the £4 million Community Cashback fund, giving local people a direct say in how criminal assets are spent in the fight against crime and antisocial behaviour.
The bus will be available for public use around the clock and will be managed by members of the community operating a booking system. It will take young people and hard-to-reach groups to social and community events that they otherwise could not have taken part in and will be available to outreach organisations that have no transportation.
Inspector Danielle Corfield, who bid for the money to purchase the community bus, said:
‘We are delighted to receive the community minibus for use of local residents in the Lozells area. The minibus will support some of the excellent community work being delivered by both police and other local partners. Community Cashback sends an important message to those who commit crime in our community. Crime does not pay – and when proceeds of crime are seized – you can see how that money is then put back into the community in ways such as this. We would like to thank every person who voted for the community minibus and supported our bid, together we will continue to make a difference.’
The Community Cashback scheme received more than 45,000 votes from members of the public for 1,225 proposed community projects. Each project has to help tackle antisocial or criminal behaviour locally and be something the community clearly wants to see happen.
Until now money recovered from criminals (£148 million for 2008/09) has been split between frontline services, such as the police and government departments involved with the criminal justice system. This is the first time communities can influence how that money is spent.
Figures show the value of assets recovered from criminals in 2008/09 rose to an all time high of £148 million. This is up from £136 million recovered in 07/08.
The Community Cashback scheme was set up following a proposal in the government’s Engaging Communities in Criminal Justice Green Paper, that communities should be given a greater say on how criminal’s cash could be used to benefit their villages, towns and cities.
Notes to editors
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Media enquiries: Ministry of Justice press office 020 3334 3536.
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The fund from criminal assets is being taken out of money usually allocated to the Home Office (£2m); Ministry of Justice/Her Majesty’s Courts Service (£0.5m); Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs/Association of Chief Police Officers/Serious Organised Crime Agency (£0.75m); Attorney General’s Office/Crown Prosecution Service/ Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office/Serious Fraud Office (£0.75m).
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Criminal Justice and Treasury Ministers have previously agreed that communities should be given more control in how asset recovery money is spent locally. This commitment was set out in the Engaging Communities in Criminal Justice Green Paper (published on 29 April 2009).
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The Office for Criminal Justice Reform is the cross-departmental team that supports all criminal justice agencies in working together to provide an improved service to the public.
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