Purpose

The Hotspot Action Fund previously provided dedicated Home Office financial support that enabled Greater Manchester Police to deliver targeted, visible and preventative policing activity in locations and periods associated with predictable increases in anti social behaviour, disorder and escalation into more serious harm.

This funding model allowed GMP to supplement business as usual neighbourhood policing with short term additionality at points of highest demand, protecting communities and preventing escalation before issues became embedded.

The seasonal and hot spot policing activity has been very successful at reducing neighbourhood/street crime, retail crime and ASB. For example, during the recent hot spot days of action over the winter period, retail crime fell by 5.1% and street crime by 16.7% in the hot spot areas.

The withdrawal of Home Office funding for the Hotspot Action Fund has resulted in the full loss of this dedicated financial support.

While core neighbourhood policing functions remain in place, there is now no equivalent funding mechanism available to provide the targeted hotspot additionality that previously absorbed seasonal demand, managed displacement and protected gains achieved through sustained intervention so additional funding is being provided via the Deputy Mayors Investment Fund.

These priorities are:

• Operation Hurricane – Off Road Bikes and Vehicle Enabled ASB, which has delivered sustained reductions in highly visible and confidence eroding anti social behaviour through targeted enforcement and preventative activity in the highest demand locations.
• Operation Treacle – Halloween and Bonfire Night, which addresses predictable seasonal spikes in youth related anti social behaviour, arson and disorder, and has consistently reduced escalation, incident volume and pressure on emergency services when appropriately resourced.
• Acute ASB and Harm Hotspots, including former Hotspot Action Fund locations and Safe4Summer activity, where focused patrols during school finish periods and seasonal peaks have demonstrably reduced retail crime, street crime and serious violence, and prevented displacement.
An agreed set of indicators and reporting will be agreed between GMP and GMCA to support the delivery of outcomes.

Decision

£300,000 be provided to GMP for 2026/27 from the Deputy Mayors Investment Fund for seasonal and acute hot spot policing activity across the following priority areas of:
• Acute ASB and Harm Hotspots
• Off Road Bikes and Vehicle Enabled ASB and
• Halloween and Bonfire Night