Community space in Neston to be given makeover

A community space in Neston is set to be improved as a result of funding from police and crime commissioner (PCC) David Keane’s Community Police Fund.

The fund is provided to all 122 policing communities in Cheshire with community police officers and PCSOs working with local residents to develop bids of up-to £1,000 to fund projects which address local issues.

In the Neston and Parkgate and Willaston Thornton and Netherpool policing communities, funding will be used to help reclaim the land and establish a safe place for families to enjoy the outdoors.

The Friends of Park Fields will lead a community transformation project to create an area for the community, schools and local groups to come together and learn about biodiversity and habitats.

The space will be revamped and the area will see natural stone seating installed, a community wild flower meadow, a grass bank Amphitheatre, picnic area and even a pond.

The group have been working hard to generate support for the project which is backed by local councilors, the local authority, schools and community groups. The whole community will come together to help bring the project to fruition. 

The funding has been awarded to rejuvenate the space following concerns raised about overcrowding and road safety in the area.

The local policing teams will look to host ‘pop-up surgeries’ in the new space enabling them to engage and interact with the wider community.  The policing teams are fully supportive of the plans and have worked with the ‘friends of’ group to submit a joint application for the funding.

The Community Police Fund has been developed using money seized from criminals under the Proceeds of Crime Act (PoCA) 2002. It also links directly to the recently launched initiative to increase police visibility in every community by providing a dedicated Police Constable and PCSO for all 122 areas.

PCC David Keane said: “It’s really important that local residents have a place to meet in the heart of their communities where they feel safe and can enjoy the benefits of being outdoors.

“I was concerned to hear about road safety concerns surrounding the area but I am confident with the whole community behind the project, big impacts can be achieved.

“I hope my Community Police Fund can help rejuvenate the area and encourage more people to enjoy spending time in the great outdoors, in turn improving their mental wellbeing”

PCSOs Mike Wakeling and Sarah Duffy, from the local policing team, said: “This project will make a massive difference to the community of Neston.  We both saw this as an opportunity to engage and build even stronger relationships with the community.

“By taking our community surgeries to places like this, we hope to connect with even more people showing them that community policing really is the best way to build safer, more resilient communities.”