Milton Keynes Council allocates funding for knife crime prevention

The council is part-funding a new campaign at the Hazard Alley Safety Centre.

The initiative aims to simulate real life interactions young people will have in the real world getting through day-to-day high street life.

MK Council has given £40,000 to help deliver the interactive learning zone.

Knife crime remains an issue within the city, a statement from Thames Valley Police addressed concerns relating to five murders in 2021. Two unrelated deaths in Milton Keynes were highlighted in this statement.

Last year the council allocated £100,000 to support local projects targeted at stopping young people in Milton Keynes from being drawn into knife crime.

The council collaborates with the police, and representatives from the health and education sectors when it decides how to allocate resources to this cause.

Councillor Lauren Townsend, cabinet member for community safety at MK Council said, in a statement on the council's website: “We’re committed to doing all we can to stop knife crime in Milton Keynes, and our work with local partners is vital in helping us do that

“The new scenario at Hazard Alley, combined with an education programme delivered by trained volunteers, will educate children and young people about the dangers of knife crime in a safe environment, building their resilience and developing the skills they need to help them enjoy their childhood and adolescence without the fear of or risk of being groomed into criminal and violent behaviour.”

Kelly Gardner, deputy commander for the Milton Keynes Local Policing Area also praised the new initiative saying: “Education is such a key part of preventing young people from being criminally exploited and the new innovative and interactive prevention programme will benefit local children for many years to come.”

Work to make this knife prevention zone fully operational will begin this month, the council hopes the scheme will be up and running before the end of March.