A NEW "Violence Reduction Unit" will help tackle knife crime in Bradford.

Councillors will today be given an update on the scheme set up to reduce knife attacks, serious violence and homicides across West Yorkshire.

They will be told that much of the work targets under 25s, and in Bradford a project was set up to work with young people who are at risk of being involved with street gangs and County Lines drug dealing.

Members of Bradford Council's Corporate Scrutiny Committee will be given an update on the Bradford District Safer Communities Partnership performance when they meet tonight.

Among the issues they will discuss is work to establish a Violence Reduction Unit in West Yorkshire. The unit is currently being assembled, with 13 members of staff so far.

1,000 arrests for Operation Jemlock knife and violent crime crackdown

Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire Mark Burns Williamson has put in place a grants programme to deliver initiatives to support the unit. In total 35 interventions were funded across West Yorkshire totalling £2,039,000, including seven in Bradford district at a cost of £419,000.

One of the main Bradford projects is "Breaking the Cycle" and a report to the committee says: "It has enabled the establishment of a team of skilled and experienced youth work practitioners to work with young people who are involved in, or at risk of being involved with, serious organised crime, urban street gangs, county lines, exploited or are exploiting others, or in receipt of higher than yellow levels of anti-social behaviour sanctions."

Over 240 young people have been referred to the scheme since it was set up.

The committee will be told that of these:

- 57 per cent were identified as being at risk of, or involved in serious organised crime

- 52 per cent were identified as being at risk of, or involved in Urban Street Gangs

- 50 per cent were identified as being at risk of, or involved in County Lines

- 72 per cent are identified as either being exploited themselves or they are exploiting other young people

- 43 per cent have been found in possession of, or use weapons and violence as part of their criminal behaviours

- 57 per cent have links to drugs, either as users, carriers or suppliers.

Mr Burns Williamson said: ""Serious violence and knife crime has affected many of our town and cities across West Yorkshire and that's why this investment is an important step in the right direction to enable us to bring multiple agencies together to help cut violence with early intervention, prevention and education programmes and measures.

"We are committed to tackling the root causes of violent crime and will continue to work closely with our partners, including the police, local authorities, NHS, public health, voluntary sector, prisons, probation and education amongst others, to establish and embed a sustainable long-term approach to tackling violent crime and its underlying causes."

The Committee meets in City Hall at 5.30pm.