CHESHIRE’S police and crime commissioner has announced a number of measures to offer support to organisations he funds or those that provide services to the police during the Coronavirus crisis.

As many community organisations and businesses have to pause their activities due to the current social distancing measures, PCC David Keane is providing assurance that organisations he funds will still receive support.

He is offering to give recipients of his Safer Communities Fund – which provides small grants of up to £5,000 to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour – an extension to deliver their projects and is also offering to work with groups to look into how they can adapt their activities so they can still support communities at this challenging time.

PCC David Keane said: “Coronavirus is a public health emergency that is causing daily disruption and understandable anxiety to people across the world. This exceptional event will continue to bring about massive changes to the way community organisations offer their services.

“However, the current situation also presents the potential for us to realign resources and appreciate new ways of supporting the most vulnerable.

“I want to support our community and voluntary sector groups as much as I can to ensure they continue to help vulnerable people to stay safe.

"I know that they may not have the level of staff and volunteers that they normally have available but, where possible, I want to work with them to look at delivering services in new ways.

“This will not be possible for all activities and where this isn’t an option, I will extend the delivery timescale for projects so they can be delivered as our communities recover when government measures are lifted.”

In addition to the support being offered to community organisations, those who supply services to the commissioner’s office or Cheshire Constabulary will, wherever possible, be offered faster payments and will be paid as normal until at least the end of June 2020 even if Covid-19 has interrupted their services.

Mr Keane added: “Covid-19 may bring a temporary change to the way a number of businesses deliver services, but I appreciate the impacts of this could be experienced for long time.

“These financial measures will help small, local suppliers who are at risk of going out of business as a result of the pandemic.

“Many suppliers to public bodies will struggle to meet their contractual obligations and this will put their financial viability, ability to retain staff and their supply chains at risk.

“We are working together in order to support our suppliers and provide some assistance which aims to ensure they can return to normal contract delivery once the situation is resolved."

The commissioner has also published a list of emergency funds that are available to organisations struggling to cope with the Coronavirus outbreak at www.cheshire-pcc.gov.uk/news/latest-news/2020/03/emergency-funds-available-during-covid-crisis/

Recipients of Safer Communities Fund grants are encouraged to contact the commissioner’s office to discuss their project by email at safer.communities@cheshire.pnn.police.uk.

Suppliers to the Cheshire OPCC/Cheshire Constabulary who are struggling to meet their contractual obligations and/or experiencing difficulties with financial viability, ability to retain staff and risk in their supply chain are encouraged to contact the joint strategic procurement team by emailing procurement@cheshire.pnn.police.uk.