£5.3m to be invested in victim support, crime prevention and community safety

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon has confirmed plans to invest more than £5.3 million in victim support, community safety and crime prevention services during 2026/27.

The plans set out how the OPCC will continue commissioning vital services that support victims, reduce serious violence, tackle anti‑social behaviour and help break cycles of reoffending, all of which are priorities in PCC Philip Wilkinson’s Police and Crime Plan.

More than £2 million will be directed towards victim services, including continued support for the Horizon Witness and Care Service, independent domestic abuse and sexual violence advocacy provision, and the Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Swindon, where essential works will begin to meet new national forensic standards. 

Almost £1.4 million will be invested in criminal justice and reducing reoffending, supporting custody healthcare, mental health provision, substance misuse services and rehabilitation pathways, alongside work to improve housing and employment support for people leaving prison. 

Community safety and youth services will continue to focus on early intervention and serious violence reduction, with more than £700,000 being invested to support programmes such as Focused Deterrence, Synergy and Blunt Truth, alongside youth engagement and ongoing work to tackle retail and business crime. 

Details of the investment and commissioning priorities were presented as part of a formal paper to the Wiltshire Police and Crime Panel detailing how funding will be used to deliver the priorities set out in the Police and Crime Plan. 

Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said, “Commissioning these services is essential if we are serious about preventing crime, supporting victims and keeping communities safe in the long term.  

“The priorities set out in my Police and Crime Plan recognise that policing alone is not enough – we need strong, effective services alongside it to reduce harm and build public confidence.

“This investment focuses on protecting victims, reducing violence and intervening early with those most at risk, particularly children and young people. It is about making sure victims receive the right support at the right time, while continuing to back evidence led programmes that tackle the causes of offending and steer people away from crime before it becomes entrenched. 

“At the same time, it is about using public funding responsibly, focusing on what works, and working closely with councils, health partners and the voluntary sector to deliver the priorities in the Police and Crime Plan – supporting victims, reducing violence and serious harm, tackling the crimes that matter most to our communities, and ensuring policing and partners meet the needs of the public.”

Chief Constable Catherine Roper said, “Our core purpose is to ensure we are Keeping Wiltshire Safe. 

"Our new operational priorities of Safer Public Spaces, Reduce and Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls and Improving Outcomes for Victims reflect the improvements already commenced as a result of our recent Police Efficiency, Effectiveness and Legitimacy (PEEL) report from His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), whilst working hand in hand with the Police and Crime Commissioner's commissioning services to ensure delivery of the Police and Crime Plan.

"Our priority of Safer Public Spaces includes a commitment to tackling anti-social behaviour.

"On the 1st April, we published our Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, which clearly sets out how Wiltshire Police, working with our partners and communities, will continue to work to prevent harm, support victims and take firm action against those who persistently cause misery to others." 

The Commissioner also highlighted the loss of the Home Office Hotspot Action Fund, which previously supported targeted patrols and community safety interventions. While this funding will not continue into 2026/27, partners are working together to protect the most effective approaches.

He added, “Hotspot funding delivered real results locally, and the loss of this funding is disappointing. My focus now is on working with partners to protect the approaches that are proven to work, use our resources intelligently and continue keeping people safe despite reduced national support and continue targeted action wherever we can.”