A crime filled day

On the Spot Van in Haverhill

My day has been dominated by community safety issues.

This morning I went to Mildenhall for the quarterly meeting of the West Suffolk Community Safety Partnership. Among the items on the agenda was a bid for funding for a project called On the Spot that aims to prevent behavioural and other problems among older children and young adults in Haverhill Town Centre.  The scheme uses an adapted bus that is taken out by trained youth workers on a Friday evening.

On the Spot has been operating since June 2010. During this time the project has become well established with young people locally as a place to receive advice and guidance as well as gaining access to a warm and inviting positive environment, The project has made a significant difference to youth related anti-social behaviour (ASB) on Friday evenings in the town and is something that those present felt could usefully be introduced in other towns in Suffolk,

As usual the Partnership looked at the most recent crime statistics for West Suffolk. The level of reported crime has been falling for some time, but now a reverse in the trend is being seen in the area of domestic burglaries which are significantly up year on year. Thefts from oil tanks also remain a persistent problem, and there have also been a number of break-ins at schools, which, it seems, are not very good at securing their premises.

Many of these issues were raised by the West Babergh Safer Neighbourhood Team at this evening’s priority setting meeting in Glemsford.  Currently police in the area are concentrating on crime prevention measures aimed at emphasising the increased need for vigilance and the meeting decided that this activity should remain a priority for the next two months.

Most of the current problems raised by residents in Glemsford related to matters such as dog poo and car parking.  These are of course irritating for those who are affected, but not of earth shattering importance in the overall scheme of things.   On a positive note, it was good to hear that the activities of the local PCSO, Hannah Partington, have had the effect of significantly reducing incidents of ASB in the village.  People were quick to criticise PCSO’s when they were introduced.  I believe that over recent years they have made a real difference in our community, and Hannah is just one example of this

If you want to do something positive in your area, do not already have a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme, or have a Scheme that needs refreshing, Sudbury now has a new Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator, Joanna Moore, who can be reached by ringing 101.

The Police Station is currently selling various security items, including property marking pens, 24 hour timer switches, personal attack alarms and shed alarms, all at very reasonable prices!

The next Safer Neighbourhood Meeting will be in Cockfield  Village Hall on 21^st May at 6 p.m.