Stuart Anderson MP is encouraging local places of worship that have been victims of or are vulnerable to hate crime attacks to apply to the Government’s Places of Worship Protective Security Funding Scheme. The Scheme is providing £3.5 million of funding to put in place security measures that will help tackle this threat. The measures will be installed at the site for free and includes maintenance costs for one year from the date of installation.
Stuart has welcomed the latest round of funding, which marks the Government’s ongoing commitment to protecting people’s right to practise their faith without fear or intimidation, making our streets safer for everyone. The scheme will cover the costs of security measures for places of worship in order to deter and prevent hate crime attacks on vulnerable communities. It includes the installation of physical protective measures such as cameras, alarms, and perimeter fencing. The application process is open from the 19th of May 2022 until 14th July of 2022.
The Crime Survey for England and Wales shows a long-term decline in overall hate crime. Increases in police recorded hate crime in recent years have been driven by improvements in crime recording and a better identification of what constitutes a hate crime. This scheme will help better protect places of worship from hate crime by providing funding to places of worship such as churches, mosques, gurdwaras, temples, and associated faith community centres to improve physical security. To apply for funding through the scheme, applicants will need to complete an online application at www.gov.uk/guidance/places-of-worship-security-funding-scheme. They can also seek free advice from the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO), which has published sector specific protective security advice and guidance for owners and operators of crowded places sites such as places of worship, to allow them to identify key risks and to consider what steps that they could take at www.gov.uk/government/publications/crowded-places-guidance.
Stuart Anderson MP said: “I am proud to represent Wolverhampton as one of its local MPs. Faith communities in our city have a long history of service, supporting many of the most vulnerable members of our society. I am concerned, though, that many people continue to be affected by hate crime. Preventative action is key to ensuring that every opportunity is taken to stop these terrible crimes from happening. I encourage all places of worship who feel they are vulnerable to hate crime to apply for a share of this £3.5 million funding.”