Greater Manchester has won a little over £2.4 million in funding to make streets safer for residents across the region.
The funding allocation has come from the Safer Streets Fund – which was launched by the Home Office, and aims to tackle issues that blight communities by putting measures in place to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour, all while supporting victims.
The Manchester, Wigan, and Stockport boroughs have all been awarded funding, following successful bids that were supported by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).
Here in Manchester, the successful bid – which was led by GMCA, and supported by Manchester City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) – will see a total of £453,080 from the Safer Streets Fund invested in tackling anti-social behaviour.
It will also improve the safety on the Fallowfield Loop – with community warden appointed to work closely with the local community and support those who use it.
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Greater Manchester has won a little over £2.4 million in funding to make streets safer for residents across the region / Credit: Josh Taylor | Patrick Robert Doyle (via Unsplash)
The installation of new lighting, fences, and guard rails on the Loop will also be delivered with the new funding, as well as working with local schools to deliver cycle training, and site clearance and landscaping, all to help “reduce crime” and “improve feelings of safety”.
“I’m pleased that Greater Manchester will receive more than £2.4 million from the Safer Streets Fund, which will be invested in tackling the issues that local people have told us are blighting their communities and making them feel unsafe,” said Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester Bev Hughes.
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“This is the fourth round of funding which has seen more than £4.2 million invested in Safer Streets initiatives across Greater Manchester since August 2020 [and] this additional funding will allow us to build on this work in other parts of the city-region to deliver activity to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and work with local people to strengthen neighbourhoods and keep them safe.”
The funding allocation has come from the Safer Streets Fund / Credit: Steven Roussel (via Unsplash)
Cllr Luthfur Rahman – Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council – added: “Tackling crime and anti-social behaviour is a key priority for the council.
“Everyone should be able to live in peace and without the fear of intimidation or violence [and] that is why with our partners, we have made this successful bid for additional resources to tackle issues in Fallowfield.
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“Collective action is the best way for us to transform communities and make them safe, prosperous and happy.
“I look forward to implementing new measures which can help us fulfil our goals.”
Price caps and standardisations to be introduced for vet care in UK following major investigation
Emily Sergeant
Reforms to the veterinary industry to help pet owners better navigate the vet services market are set to be introduced this year.
After an independent inquiry group recently found that the current system is leaving pet owners ‘in the dark’, with a lack of information to help make informed decisions leading to weak competition and high prices, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has this week concluded its investigation into veterinary services for household pets in the UK.
The final report green-lights a package of measures to make the market more competitive, easier to navigate, and more responsive to pet owners’ needs.
It outlines the final remedies and recommendations, which together, will transform the market.
Remedies and recommendations in the report range from price caps and standardisations, through to upfront cost transparency.
We’ve set out major reforms to the UK’s veterinary sector now our market investigation is complete.
Our reforms will help pet owners better navigate the vet services market and will start coming into force later this year.
— Competition & Markets Authority (@CMAgovUK) March 24, 2026
Practices will soon be required to publish a comprehensive price list for standard services – including consultations, common procedures, diagnostics, written prescriptions and cremation options – so pet owners know up-front how much certain services are expected to cost.
They’ll also have to make it clear whether they are part of a group or an independent business, and provide a written estimate in advance for any treatment expected to cost £500 or more (including aftercare costs), plus an itemised bill.
Written prescription fees are set to be capped at £21 for the first medicine, and then £12.50 for any additional medicines.
Price caps and standardisations are set to be introduced for vet care in UK / Credit: Pxhere
There’s also set to be changes to the complaints process, as practices will now be required to follow a transparent, accessible, in-house complaints process, and engage in mediation where disputes cannot be resolved.
The CMA says an ‘unprecedented’ response from both the public and the sector has helped to shape the final report.
The next step is for the Government to respond to the report formally – with Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Emma Reynolds, commenting: “We are grateful for all the work of the Competition and Markets Authority, and we will respond to the report and set out next steps for our proposed reforms in due course.
“This Government is focused on helping families save money on vet services by improving transparency and choice around pricing, so the public can make informed decisions about their pets’ care.”
Featured Image – Pxhere
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Police release footage of Manchester burglar who tried to evade arrest by hiding under a bed
Emily Sergeant
Police have released unseen footage of a Manchester burglar who tried to evade arrest and justice by hiding under a bed.
David Dale Thompson, of no fixed abode, appeared at Manchester Crown Court last week (18 March) where he was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of residential burglary at an earlier hearing.
The 43-year-old was caught early last year (15 January 2025) following proactive patrols by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) neighbourhood officers across Rusholme and Moss Side, who were in the area due to a high number of reports of burglaries in the weeks prior.
While on patrol, police spotted Thompson ‘acting suspiciously’ while riding a bike just before 5pm, and once officer subsequently followed him to a property on Boscombe Street, before calling for more officers to attend.
After gaining entry to the address, officers suspected something was wrong when they entered one of the rooms, and after lifting up the bed, they found Thompson hiding in the storage compartment attempting to evade arrest.
GMP has now released footage of the moment Thompson was caught.
Speaking following Thompson’s sentencing last week, Detective Inspector Natalie McDonald, of GMP’s Manchester Central Neighbourhood Crime Team, said: “This was a fantastic example of proactive policing, which has resulted in a serial offender now behind bars.
“We know how devastating a burglary in your own home can be and this shows our commitment to tackling them head on.
“If you have any information or concerns about neighbourhood crime in your area, make sure you speak to us. In the meantime, we have officers on regular patrols in areas that need us the most.”
Emily Sergeant -
29th July 2022 
