EFFORTS to combat crime and anti-social behaviour in the district have received a boost.

Bradford Council is sharing in a £1 million regional grant awarded by the Safer Streets Fund, run by the Home Office.

As well as targeting anti-social behaviour and neighbourhood crime, the funding is for projects that tackle violence against women and girls.

Bradford joined with Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds City and Wakefield councils, together with West Yorkshire Police and the region's mayor, to submit the bid.

The £185,000 allocation for Bradford district will support the priorities of Safer Bradford, the Bradford Community Safety Partnership – which include tackling nuisance motorbikes and quad bikes, targeting anti-social behaviour hotspots, and promoting the safety of women and girls and the nighttime economy.

A share of the West Yorkshire Police funding pot will also benefit initiatives in the Bradford area.

Councillor Abdul Jabar, Bradford Council’s portfolio holder for neighbourhoods and community safety, says: "This extra funding is extremely welcome. It gives a much-needed boost to the work already being done by us and our partners to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.

"Our successful bid also shows that working together with our neighbouring authorities, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and West Yorkshire Police benefits the whole region. We all have shared goals when it comes to making our streets safer."

The funding is also welcomed by West Yorkshire mayor, Tracy Brabin.

She says: "This investment supports a range of projects that will make a real difference in our communities.

"The projects address public priorities such as the safety of women and girls, and tackling anti-social behaviour and neighbourhood crime."

And Temporary Chief Superintendent Richard Padwell, of Bradford District Police, says: "This significant injection of funding will benefit priorities across the Bradford district which we know are of a concern to residents.

"Those priorities include addressing anti-social behaviour, and dealing with nuisance motorbikes and quad bikes, along with improving safety in the city’s nighttime economy.

"We welcome this investment, and by working in partnership with Safer Bradford we can together make the district a better and safer place."

The Safer Streets Fund, launched in 2020, has so far awarded £120 million through four rounds of funding.

The latest phase of grants began in the summer.

Every police force area across England and Wales has been offered up to £1 million to deliver a range of projects aimed at tackling community crime and anti-social behaviour.