If asked how neighbourhoods can benefit from criminal activity, most people would not be able to supply an answer.

But now money seized from offenders is to directly fund projects to help communities stay safe.

Every year, up to half a million pounds in criminal assets is to be delivered back to communities in West Yorkshire after a new initiative was launched.

Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson is spearheading the Safer Communities Fund which sees money seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) within the county fed into a single pot of cash, to be used exclusively for community safety initiatives.

He wants to make it easier for local groups and organisations to receive money under the POCA and make a difference to local communities.

Up to now the allocation procedure has been less well-defined and too bureaucratic. Now, thousands of pounds recovered from criminals will be made available in four bidding rounds each year.

Those who could benefit from sums of up to £10,000, range from small neighbourhood groups introducing crime prevention measures to larger charitable organisations tackling alcohol or substance misuse.

“We have tried not to be too prescriptive,” says Mr Burns-Williamson.

The commissioner is also lobbying to allow police forces to keep all the money seized. Under current laws, the Government keeps half – Mr Burns-Williamson would like to see it all returned to the force that seized it. The portion that is presently returned is split between the police, the courts and the Crown Prosecution Service.

“There is a debate to be had over whether that split of funding is right, and we are working with other agencies to look at it,” he adds.

In the last financial year, more than £6 million was confiscated in West Yorkshire. Of this, £1.9million was returned to the county. It is a complex financial process, explains Mr Burns-Williamson, with cash often tied up in forfeitures and confiscation orders.

At a time of budget cuts – between 2010 and 2016 around £152 million, a third of the budget, has been cut – the POCA has become even more important. “It means we can give further money to communities and mitigate against these cuts,” he adds.

The act serves as a deterrent to criminals. “It is a strong message we can send out to the public that we are going to pursue criminals who have gained at our expense,” says Mr Burns-Williamson. “We will not tolerate it and will prosecute them, retrieve the money and make the community safe.

“There have been some high-profile cases where people have had to hand back significant sums.”

Since 2008, more than £23 million in illegal cash and assets has been seized across West Yorkshire. “Other than the Metropolitan Police, we have probably been the most successful in the quantity of assets seized in that period of time,” says Mr Burns-Williamson.

He praises the work of the POCA team, headed by Ramano Senior and other specialists working in West Yorkshire.

The commissioner has been liaising with the team about loopholes in the current system.

“At the moment there is potentially huge amounts of cash in bank accounts linked to situations in which a prisoner many have absconded, for instance. Under present legislation a block is placed on accounts and the police is powerless to act.”

Working in partnership with other agencies is crucial in addressing this.

“Specialists from the Crown Prosecution Service have suggested that other legislation could be introduced to close these loopholes.”

Despite acknowledging that it needs updating, Mr Burns-Williamson personally believes the POCA to be “one of the best pieces of legislation introduced by the Government.”

He would also like to see specialist tax investigators as an integral part of POCA teams. “Many enquiries lead to HM Revenue & Customs and delays can occur. There needs to be more priority on cases involving outside agencies like HMRC and The Department of Work and Pensions.

“We need time to prevent money being transferred to offshore accounts and hidden.”

Mr Burns-Williamson is leading a national campaign to bring all the cash back, and has launched a petition which he urges people to sign. If it receives more than 100,000 signatures the subject could be discussed in parliament.

“There is support for bringing this money back to the local area, so I’m trying to get as many individuals and groups to support the campaign.”

He has also written to the Policing and Criminal Justice Minister Damien Green asking him to consider the proposal.

Bids for Safer Communities Fund cash can be made online at westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk.