Additional 'hotspot' patrols at risk in Wiltshire as Government pulls funding

A Government decision to withdraw funding specifically to target antisocial behaviour (ASB) and serious violence hotspots is ‘short-sighted and not in the best interests of local communities’, Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson has warned. 

First awarded by the Home Office in 2024, Wiltshire residents have benefited from an additional £1m of funding over the past two years, targeting hotspot areas across the county with increased police visibility, street warden patrols, and other partnership initiatives to drive down antisocial behaviour and serious violence.

This means that 16,000 additional patrol hours completed in hotspot areas by both police officers and street wardens during 2025 are now at risk after the Home Office confirmed Wiltshire will not receive the funding after March 2026.

Over the past three years, since the funding was put in place, a 17% reduction has been seen countywide in reports of antisocial behaviour to police, with those in Swindon seeing a decrease of 1 in 5 (21%) and those in Wiltshire experiencing a 18% decrease.

These figures highlight the impact of investment in prevention, increased visibility and effective partnership work across the area, including initiatives funded outside of policing to make communities safer and reduce serious violence and ASB, such as:

• Taxi Marshalls (Salisbury & Swindon)
• Street wardens (Salisbury & Swindon)
• Night Angels (Swindon)
• Increased CCTV coverage

Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said: “The Hotspot Fund has allowed Wiltshire Police to put officers exactly where they are needed most. By directing resources to known problem areas, we’ve been able to ensure earlier interventions, provide community reassurance, and work with partners to address the root causes of antisocial behaviour and serious violence rather than just the symptoms.

“Reducing crime has never been something policing can achieve alone. The improvements we’ve seen are the result of collaboration, early intervention, and consistent support for those at risk of causing harm or being harmed.

“We have shown that investment in targeted initiatives delivers real results for communities, which makes this short-sighted decision by the Government staggering and certainly not in the best interests of our residents – and I fear this is the start of them stripping away the voice and needs of our local communities as they move towards centralising police services and merging force areas.  

“Long‑term problems require long‑term solutions. We want these reductions to continue, and for communities to keep feeling the benefit, but without continued funding for hotspot patrols and prevention work, there is a genuine risk that the progress achieved so far could begin to reverse.”

Despite the uncertainty surrounding future funding, work to reduce serious violence and antisocial behaviour will continue across Wiltshire and Swindon. Neighbourhood policing teams, local authorities and community partners remain committed to maintaining visibility and supporting residents.

The OPCC will now work with partners to assess the impact of the government funding withdrawal and explore alternative options to protect the progress made so far.