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A recreation shelter used as a positive space for young people to socialise has benefitted from a much-needed revamp thanks to funding from Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen and partners.
The County Durham and Darlington PCC contributed just over £2k towards the renovation of the recreational shelter, located outside the Town Council offices in Sedgefield, with the remaining £2k funded by local housing firm Livin and Durham County Council’s Safer Places Team.
All the funding was awarded through the Government’s Trailblazer funding scheme.
The shelter, popular with local young people, elderly residents and parents, has been subjected to vandalism and graffiti over the years, with the area around it becoming untidy and overgrown with weeds.
Several community partners including Livin, Sedgefield Town Council, Durham County Council’s Safer Places, Clean and Green, and Highways Teams, county councillors and members of the local Neighbourhood Policing Team have been working together to deliver a solution.
Once funding was secured, the shelter was treated with specialist anti-vandal paint and fresh coats of colour while a litter bin was installed to encourage people to dispose of rubbish.
Road bollards were also installed to prevent vehicles from being able to park in the space or from parking too close and obstructing access to people wishing to use it. Additionally, double yellow lines have been painted in the area as a further parking deterrent.
Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen,who has prioritised the prevention of anti-social behaviour (ASB) in her Police,Crime and Justice Plan, said: “The shelter is an important feature in Sedgefield and well-used by the community. Clearly, young people in the area really value the space and I’m really pleased to have been able to support this project and bring it back to life.
“These improvements will provide abetter environment for people who live and work in Sedgefield, and for the young people who use the space to meet their friends and socialise. Local officers talked to young people at length about what they would like from the updated shelter during the project, and I would like to thank them for their contributions.
“I hope this updated resource will instil pride in all those who use it and will help to deter further acts of vandalism in the future. The ambition is that it will also serve as a deterrent for ASB, providing young people with a safe space to meet their friends.”
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Picture Shows (L-R): CllrMel Carr (chair of Sedgefield Town Council), PC Stephen Ward, Andy Coulthard(Livin), Katherine Ward (DCC), Graham Hall (Deputy PCC), , Councillor ChrisLines
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