Backing for Lincoln Intervention Team to continue until 2020

Lincoln’s Intervention Team will receive £65,000 worth of funding to tackle anti-social behaviour in the city centre until 2020.

Senior City of Lincoln councillors approved the cash for the team which was introduced after widespread problems of drug abuse and addiction in the city.

The money will go towards commissioning an Addaction outreach worker, a team coordinator and cover for holidays and sickness.

Council leader, Ric Metcalfe, said the funding showed that the authority was committed to the scheme.

Councillor Ric Metcalfe, Leader of City of Lincoln Council.

“We always knew that we needed to be in this for the medium to long term,” he said.

“The problems we are facing are significant and we always expected that we would need to be in for at least three years.”

Meanwhile council officers said there had been some success with the team, but added that it was a “complex” area involving “vulnerable people”.

The City Council is aiming to tackle city centre drug use. Photo: The Lincolnite

The new funding will allow the team to continue until December 2020.

The authority introduced the team in October 2018 on an initial 12 month trial.

£61,000 was spent setting up the group, which the council said was part of a “wider strategy” to tackle anti-social behaviour.

£61,000 was spent setting up the group, which the council said was part of a “wider strategy” to tackle anti-social behaviour.

As part of the scheme, the team is tasked with maintaining public safety, whilst tackling the issues of public drug-taking, alcohol consumption, drunken behaviour and begging.

Tom Snowden and Yvette Hall, City of Lincoln Council intervention team members. Picture: Calvin Robinson.

The project is currently funded by the city council, Lincoln BIG, Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner and the NHS.

Following approval of the scheme last year, outreach workers for anti-social behaviour, mental health and addiction were employed, as well as a team co-ordinator.

Since then, the city council said the team has worked with 103 different people to offer support for mental health and substance misuse.

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