Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, yesterday announced that £55.5m of new funding will be available for tackling the underlying causes of violent crime in the capital.

The funding announcement brings the total additional amount the mayor has invested in tackling violent crime in this year’s budget to £100.6m.

Around £25m of the new funding will go to the Young Londoners Fund, which supports projects aimed at providing positive opportunities for disadvantaged young people and helping steer them away from crime.

Violence Reduction Unit initiatives will also receive more money, with new schemes including peer-mentoring programmes for young people in Pupil Referral Units to help tackle the consequences of school exclusions.

There will also be increased investment in programmes to tackle ‘county lines’ and to disrupt the drugs market in the capital.

‘My plan to tackle violent crime in London means being both tough on crime, and tough on the underlying causes of crime,’ said Mayor Khan.

‘The causes of violent crime are complex and deep-rooted, but have been made far worse by huge Government cuts to the police, schools, youth services and local councils.’

The mayor has decided to increase his share of council bills directed to the Met by £10 a year from April.

He said: ‘I have already taken the difficult decision to increase council tax to help pay for 1,300 more police officers, and am today launching a new £55.5m package to tackle the root causes of crime by reducing school exclusions, providing more mentors for young people creating more positive opportunities for disadvantaged young Londoners.’

A new report published today by the British Youth Council’s Youth Select Committee warns that Government cuts have fueled knife crime.