January 2, 2020 1.59 pm This story is over 58 months old

Lincoln drugs and begging street team secured for another year

The council can now carry some of its own funding forward
The burgundy uniforms worn by the City of Lincoln Council intervention team. Picture: Steve Smailes.

Lincoln’s Intervention Team is expected to continue its work until 2021 after the city council secured £90,000 of National Lottery funding.

The team, which was introduced to combat widespread problems of drug abuse and addiction in the city, was extended until this year following a £65,000 funding injection by City of Lincoln Council in June 2019.

However, the new two-year lottery cash boost – broken down into £45,000 a year – means money the council was set to use towards an Addaction worker (£40,000 a year) and some of the project’s budget (£5,000 a year) can be used for another year of work instead.

The project will carry on until December 2021.

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

Francesca Bell, public protection, anti-social behaviour and licensing service manager at the authority, said: “We are very pleased that the National Lottery has seen the benefit of the work undertaken by our intervention team and has chosen to support it financially, helping us to provide the team for a further year

“Having the team together for an additional year allows us to build on the good work the team has done and to work with partners to continue making a difference in Lincoln.”

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

A man on drugs passed out near Brayford Pool on July 19, 2018.

£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.

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.

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