STAFFORDSHIRE'S Police and Crime Commissioner has dished out more than £4,000 to a Kinver community centre to help stamp out persistent anti-social behaviour problems.

Kinver Sports and Community Association (KSCA) has been given £4,144 to help put a stop to troubles on the centre’s car park - dubbed a crime hotspot by villagers.

The cash, which will go towards improving security, comes from Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis's Proceeds of Crime Fund which comprises assets and money seized from criminals across the county.

It will be used to fund the installation of a barrier and bollards at the entrance to the car park - as well as upgrading the building's external lights to brighter LED bulbs.

Mr Ellis presented a cheque to the community association after deciding 100 per cent of funding received by Staffordshire Police from Proceeds of Crime seizures should be ploughed back into communities.

He said: "Centres like this play vital roles in local communities and it’s important they are accessible to everyone.

“Measures like this are important in preventing both offending and re-offending, whilst increasing public confidence around the centre.”

Mr Ellis pledged last August that he would try and solve the problem of late night joyriders, drinkers, drug-takers and vandals congregating around the centre - after villagers repeatedly raised the issue with officers.

Rachel Davis, chairman of KSCA management committee, said: “We are very grateful for the funds granted from this new initiative by the Police and Crime Commissioner.

“We would also like to thank our local policing team for the support in the application process, without which we wouldn’t have been able to apply, nor receive, this funding.”

Bids for funding from the PCC’s Proceeds of Crime Fund had to demonstrate a clear connection with cutting crime and fit into one of the Commissioner’s four priority areas: intervening early, putting victims first, preventing offender and re-offending, and improving public confidence.