Cheshire's police and crime commissioner (PCC) has launched a new fund that police officers and PCSOs will bid for to work with local residents on projects which make their area safer.

Each of the 122 policing communities in Cheshire will be allocated a £1,000 grant for bids that address community safety issues.

An additional £10,000 will be allocated to each of Cheshire's eight Local Policing Units to support larger scale projects which address local issues.

This Community Police Fund links directly to the recently launched initiative to increase police visibility in every community by providing a dedicated Police Constable (PC) and Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) for all 122 areas.

The fund has been developed using money seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act (PoCA) 2002 to send a clear message to criminals that crime doesn't pay.

PCC David Keane said: "By taking out the profits that fund crime and reinvesting them into community, we can help prevent further offences and increase community safety.

"This fund will empower each of our 122 community PCs and PCSOs to work directly with local communities on tailored projects which make a real difference to your local area.

"They will work with you and with key partners in the local authority to develop a problem solving approach to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour."

Each local police team will work closely with their local community as they look to develop bids for the projects which also must meet the priorities in the Police and Crime Plan. Bids must be submitted to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) directly by local policing teams.

Grants will be awarded to new, one-off projects that leave a legacy as opposed to continuous year-on-year commitments. This could be, as an example, a road safety project, community engagement activities or a project which supports vulnerable people.