Redlands Liberal Democrats

Erleigh Road Burglary

You may have read in Get Reading the terrible news that a 91 year old woman was burgled while she slept on Erleigh Road on Sunday.

According to the news report two thieves broke into the back door of the woman's house in Erleigh Road using a shovel and searched the downstairs of the house before moving upstairs and waking the woman by searching her bedroom at around 2am.

This is a disgusting crime and I have written to Inspector Penny McKenzie of Thames Valley Police to ask her what the Police is doing to support residents and reduce the number of burglaries in our area.

If you have any information about this incident you can call Det Sgt Wappner on 101 or the charity Crimestoppers on 08458 505 505.

Burglary remains the Redlands & University Neighbourhood Police team’s main priority with 9 reported to the police from the 1st to the 22nd of October.  The main items taken were small electrical items such as lap tops, mobile phones etc. 

The team would like to remind residents hat you can get these types of items security marked at a police surgery ( time and dates are listed below), and to remember to close and lock doors and windows when going out.  With the darker evenings, leaving a light on in the property will also help to deter offenders.

Redlands & University area Neighbourhood Police Team Have your say meetings.

15/11/11 17.00hrs Erleigh Road
06/12/11 17.00hrs Donnington Road

Police Surgeries
Co-op 17.00hrs until 18.00hrs
19/12/2011
RBH 12.00HRS Until 13.00hrs Craven road Entrance.
14/11/2011
15/12/2011

As your local councillors If we can be of any further assistance on this or any other local matters please do not hesitate to contact us.

UPDATE

Since writing this post I've received this very reassuring response from Inspector Penny McKenzie:-

Fortunately this type of offence in terms of the time of the offence and age of the victim is rare and although the offence occurred in Erleigh Rd, it is the only burglary to a house in that road since 1996 and there have only been three others in that area in the last month – one in London rd, one in Hatherley Rd and one in cardigan Gardens.

The local area has been designated as a patrol hot spot so all patrolling officers pay particular attention to this area. The local Neighbourhood officers have also increased their patrols and are offering on going support to the victim.

 The PCSO’s have been travelling on the local buses in the morning to hand out crime prevention leaflets. This is to target those working as their homes are likely to be empty for most of the day as we do generally see an increase in burglaries at this time of year as it is dark so early, it is easy to see which houses are probably empty.

The team have been delivering cards to those houses that appear empty to remind people of the crime prevention measures they can take and as always, we conduct thorough investigations when a burglary is reported.'

Working together to Cut Crime in North Whitley

Worrying news this week about an attack on a pizza delivery man on Newcastle Road in Redlands. Residents or readers with any information should report it to the Police on 0845 8 505 505.

However, overall the picture in relation to crime in this part of the ward is positive. According to the latest crime statistics published by Thames Valley Police crime in North Whitley has fallen. Burglary has fallen by 25% to 59 reported burglaries in the past 12 months. Theft from vehicles and theft of vehicles are both down (to 33 and 9 in the past year).

Anti-social behaviour incidents remain static at 54 - suggesting more work needs to be done to make inroads into this persistent problem in our area.

You can find out crime statistics for your street and your neighbourhood at www.police.uk - via the Home Office's recently launched website.

If you want to be updated about local crime matters you might also want to sign up for Thames Valley Police's Community Messaging service. I recently did this and the updates come via email. You can do this via their website - http://www.tvpcommunitymessaging.org/.

 

One of the reasons the crime statistics are as positive as they are is down to the hard work and dedication of our local Whitley North Police team - led by Inspector Penny MacKenzie (Inspector for South & East Reading). I am pleased that staff numbers in the team have not been cut and the number of Police on the beat in our area remains the same - despite budget cuts.

The latest Police update reports that two new PCSOshave recently joined the team PCSO Donella Morahan and PCSO Navdeep Gohsal - welcome to them!

I recently met with Inspector Mackenzie to discuss crime issues in our area and to get an update on action to tackle ant-social behaviour in Northumberland Avenue -something I've been campaigning on for a number of months now.

Inspector Mackenzie reported that the new CCTV installed by the betting shop Corals has had a big impact. It's really encouraging to see local businesses working with the Police, the Council and the community to stamp out anti-social behaviour that had made this area a no-go area for locals.

It's also positive to see the extral patrols by the Police team we called for have led to a reduction in crimes in the area.

The Dispersal Order currently in force around the shops is time-limited - making it even more crucial that the Police and the Council ensure that Northumberland Avenue does not drop off the radar even if crime levels fall. We will be campaigning to ensure that North Whitley continues to get regular patrols and Police attention to help residents go about their daily lives without fear of crime.

Finally, I asked Inspector Mackenzie if there were other emerging issues that residents should be aware of. She mentioned that there had been a spate of thefts from vehicles at the top of North Whitley - around Christchurch Road area. She told me that residents can help reduce the chances of this by removing all personal items from their cars - including and especially SatNavs: a particular targets for thieves.

Obviously the Police can only tackle crime if residents report crimes. Please do report anything untoward you see in this or any other part of the ward or indeed Reading to the Police on 0845 8 505 505. I have reported issues to the Police this way many times - it is quick and easy and I would encourage all residents to use it to help the Police cut crime.

A public meeting is being held by the Whitley North Neighbourhood Police team and Neighbourhood Action Group on 24 November at the South Reading Youth and Community Centre at 7pm. This meeting is open to all and I would encourage any residents with crime concerns to attend.

Burglaries in Redlands - Update

Since I posted earlier this week about the worrying problem of burglaries in Redlands I have written to residents relaying crime prevention advice and encouraging them to report any concerns to the Police.

Today I received a response from inspector Penny MacKenzie (Neighbourhood Inspector for East & South Reading) to my email:

"In relation to this particular incident our CID team are continuing to conduct a thorough investigation – the really good news is that a man has now been arrested and charged with this offence.

The burglary figures do still cause me some concern and we have tried several crime prevention and reduction initiatives in this and other areas.

Although these initiatives work for a little while, people have busy lives and keeping their things safe is not always first and foremost in their mind.

The two messages you could continue to spread the word about are

Please shut and lock doors and windows, particularly when a house is empty (even if you are only popping to the shops)

Please contact the police, at the time, if you see anyone acting suspiciously."

Meeting with RUSU

This morning I had a meeting with the new President of Reading University Students Union, Karl Hobley and Steph Johnson, Vice President, Welfare.

I have been working closely with RUSU since 2006 on a range of issues affecting students including polling stations, streetlighting and the standard of private rented housing.

I know both Karl and Steph quite well (I worked with Steph last year when I was Lead Member for Housing) and I've known Karl for a few years through mutual friends at Reading University.

I briefed them both about the Council's plans to consult on potentially bringing in an Article Four directive to cover HMOs in the University area and the Council's planned consultation on improving traffic and parking in the University and Hospital area.

Both these issues could potentially impact on students and it is vital that the voices of students are heard.  I thought it was important to flag this issue to RUSU as early as possible as sometimes they can miss out on Council consultations.Students are residents in the area too and should be treated fairly. 

We had a useful discussion about student housing and the University's accommodation plans. It remains to be seen whether the new Student Village on Kendrick Road will reduce the demand for student housing in the community. Cost may make this option less attractive to students as it first appears.

Rogue landlords continue to be a problem and as ever RUSU and ourselves are on hand to support students who run into difficulties with their accommodation.

Finally we touched on the problem of burglaries in the University area. I talked about the work I'm doing to support Police efforts and I was pleased to hear the Students Union plan to campaign to raise awareness amongst students about how they can increase their personal safety.

It is vitally important that the Students Union and councillors work together for the benefit of students and the community. I am pleased to have been able to play my part in this today.

Burglary in Redlands - action on community safety

Very worrying news this week that two women living in Redlands were sexually assaulted by a burglar.

The Police have suggested that insecure windows and doors in properties around Blenheim Road and Donnington Road could make this area more of a target for burglars.

I have written to Inspector Penny Mackenzie and John Wright, Head of Safer Communities at Reading Borough Council to ask what action is being taken to keep residents safe and reduce burglaries in our area.

The July update of the Redlands & University Police Team reported:

"Burglary in the area remains a high concern for the team and we have been carrying out high visibly patrols during late evenings into the night, along side reactive shift officers.Over the pass month there have been a number of arrests in connections to burglaries in the Redlands area.."

The team has provided residents with some helpful home safety tips which I have copied for information below:

• Always lock your doors when you go out even if you are only popping out for a short time. Burglary is quick - most thieves take less than five minutes to break in to your house, steal your property and leave.
• Fit good quality locks to your doors and windows in your home, garage and shed and use them.
• Always keep keys in a safe place which is away from windows and doors.
• When you are on holiday, make it look like there is someone in by using timer switches on the lights and radio.
• Make sure items such as pedal cycles are security marked.

•Join a Neighbourhood Watch scheme.

• Most importantly - after you have fitted all your security devices – Use them as the most expensive lock doesn’t stop a burglar if it isn't locked! If you can get into your home without your keys then so can a burglar.

Residents with any information relating to burglaries or crime should report it to Thames Valley Police 08458 505 505 or anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

UPDATE

BBC Berkshire is reporting that a man has been arrested in connection with the assaults and burglary on Saturday.

Northumberland Avenue ASB - DIspersal Order Launched

Following the campaign residents and I have led over many months for action to tackle ongoing anti-social behaviour by the shops on Northumberland Avenue, I have heard today that a Dispersal Order has been sought by the Police and the Council  to cover the area affected.

The Dispersal Order will commence on Friday 29th July and will run for 6 months until Friday 27th January 2012. The order provides the police with the following powers:

• Require the persons in the group to disperse either immediately or within a given time and manner specified by the Officer.
• Require those persons that do not reside within the relevant locality to leave the relevant locality or any part of it immediately, or within a given time and manner, specified by the Officer.
• Prohibit the return of those persons who do not reside within the relevant locality from returning to the locality or any part of it for a period of time not exceeding 24 hours as stated in the direction.

The area covered byt the Order encompasses the parade of shops opposite St Cecelia Court, which as I have reported for several months has been subjected to ASB for some time, including street drinking and drug dealing.

The Police and Council have stated that they have been unable to use this legislation previously due to the lack of reported incidents, however, thanks to ongoing work of the Whitley Neighbourhood Police Team, we have been able to capture enough evidence to prove there is a persistent problem of group related disorder.

 I would like to thank all the residents living in the area that have reported incidents to the Police and the Council. They are a credit to their community.

Inspector Penny McKenzie working with RBC colleagues has shown real leadership on this issue and I am grateful to her for getting to grips with this issue so early into her new role

Officers have said they will continue to monitor reports during this time and if there is a need to extend the order, they will be recommending this.

RBC officers have also said the Dispersal Order powers are not designed to be a long term measure and the ongoing work with residents, officers and the Whitley North NAG will continue to ensure that we are not reliant on these powers in the future.

This is absolutely right - I've said from the start this is not about quick fix solutions but an ongoing commitment to tackling problems by local agencies, supported by residents.

RBC ASB Team will be continuing to take action, in partnership with other agencies, including RBC Housing & Affinity Housing, against those individuals involved in causing ASB in this area.

We will continue to campaign for action on anti-social behaviour so that residents in the area can go about their lives freely and safely without fear of crime.

Residents can continue to play their part in keeping the area crime and nuisance free by reporting all incidents to the Police on 0845 8 505 505.

Hexham Estate - After Decades of Labour Neglect, Lib Dem Campaign Delivers for Residents

Campaigning for Improvements to Hexham Estate

Since 2006 I, along with my colleagues Kirsten Bayes and Glenn Goodall have actively campaigned for improvements in Hexham Estate to improve the quality of life of residents.

It is very satisfying to see that the estate I first visited in 2005 has been completely transformed after the work we did to get the Council to tackle longstanding problems and issues.

These included problems of anti-social behaviour, vandalism, and graffiti that contributed to an overall atmosphere of neglect.

But what is even more satisfying are the results of the Council's second Residents Survey of the estate which shows a significant improvement in satisfaction levels of people that live there - up from 53% in 2008 to 83% in 2011.

The local campaign  we started all those years ago was necessary because when we first got involved in local politics the three Labour councillors for the area failed to champion the needs of residents in the area, and Labour Town Hall bosses at neglected the estate for years - to the huge frustration of many local residents.

Decent Neighbourhoods Fund

My experience as a ward councillor for Hexham estate led me to campaign for better estates in Reading and coin the phrase'decent neighbourhoods, not just decent homes'.

Countless conversations with residents fed up with the state of their area led me to understand that the way estate looks and feels is as important as the way a property looks on the inside.

My campaigning led to a change in Council policy - refocussing spending on investing in improving estates not just meeting government targets.

I was driven to launch this campaign after I saw for myself the problems inherent in Labour's focus on meeting Whitehall targets meant that issues that caused big problems for residents on Hexham estate went unsolved, including:

• Serious anti-social behaviour and drug-dealing leading to security fears in flats
• High number of burglaries as a result of weak security in alley-ways
• Mini-moto nuisance on Bede Walk
• Abandoned cars and rubbish repeatedly dumped on the estate
• Parking issues
• Little or no greenery

In 2008 we succeeded in getting the then Labour-run Council to launch the first ever survey of local residents asking them what they would like to see improved.

Hexham Improvement Plan - Nagging works!

In 2009 a Hexham Improvement Plan was launched by RBC - including a range of steps designed to to improve the quality of life for residents. When I quizzed officers about why after years of ignoring the area the Labour administration finally agreed to take action.

Officers confirmed to me the Hexham Estate Improvment Plan was launched as a result of our nagging - which just proves why ward councillors are important.

Had we not made a fuss week in week out about problems on the estate the Labour administration would have done nothing.

And recent experience of the new (old) Labour administration confirms not much has changed in this regard!

We have worked closely alongside Ashley, Charlotte and Tom in the Housing Team at RBC to ensure the voices of residents are heard in all planned works.

Listening to Residents - Taking Action

As local councillors we survey residents regularly to find out what they think and what action they would like us to take on their behalf.

It seems this was new to the Labour administration as Hexham estate residents were not asked their views once before 2008!

The results of the first Residents Survey in 2008 conducted by the Council confirmed what we had been saying for two years: residents wanted to see action on number of areas and led to a huge range of improvements across the estate to parking, landscaping and block security.

Officers surved residents this May and the findings show the improvements we led have made a real difference to residents:

1.  Residents are much more satisfied overall with the Hexham Road estate as a place to live now as opposed to 2008.
2. There is a clear positive upward trend in residents saying the Hexham Road estate has got better over the past 2 years.
3. More people feel safe living and working on the estate than they did 2 years ago.

In each subject area asked there is a very clear positive upward trend in conditions/living environment in the past 2 years on the estate for:

• ASB
• Vandalism
• Kids hanging  around
• Landscaping
• Bin Areas
• Litter picking
• Graffiti

5.  There has been a big increase in the numbers of residents living in flats who are satisfied with the condition of the block they live in.

6. Over the past 2 years there has been a large increase in those who say the cleaning has got better. This is on top of the survey result in 2008 when 70% of respondents said the cleaning had improved in the 2 years prior to that.

7. Those living in flats say there is a clear upward trend in conditions in the block in all of the areas asked:

• Vandalism
• Security
• Graffiti
• Painting/Decorating.

The future

A public meeting is planned and we are looking forward to hearing from residents more details about changes they want to see in the area.

One area that does needs looking at is the Community Centre. It is grant funded by the Council so should be somewhere residents feel they can go to and use regularly.

The survey indicates that this is a very under-used resource by local residents. The Council needs to investigate what is behind this as there are not many venues for local people to use nearby.

This year the Lib Dems fought to ensure £400,000 investment in estates via the Decent Neighbourhoods was safeguarded despite needing to make savings across the Council's budget.

This decision means that investment in Hexham Estate and other estates will continue during 2011/12.

Shamefully, Labour councillors all voted against this.

Given Labour's lavish pre-election pledges and the savings they will have to make to balance the Council's books next year there remains a big question mark over what Labour councillors will do in the future to fund further improvements on the estate.

Their record when it comes to Hexham estate is not good.

If residents want to see further improvements and investment on Hexham and other estates our advice is simple: stick with the local Lib Dem team as ours is the track record of delivering for local people.

Action to reduce criminal damage and theft at Newcastle Road allotments

Following my post last week about reported vandalism and theft at local allotments on the edge of Hexham estate I have had this very helpful response from RBC Parks Department:

1. RBC officers met with allotment holders last week week m regarding the problems regarding Newcastle Road allotments. Officers promised the resident who contacted me they would do their utmost to support him in his efforts to resolve the problems we are having on the site.
2. Officers will contact the police next week toarrange a meeting with the PCSO that has been assigned to the case ) to find out ways RBC can assist the police.

Officers have stressed that any incidents on the allotments must be reported to the police ( however trivial they may seem ) by all the allotment holders affected so the police can start to build up a picture of what is occurring on the site.

I am pleased to report that officers have pledged to repair the fence straight away whenever it is breached and look into ways of making the site more secure again by getting advice from the police.

Hexham Road allotments hit by crime outbreak

Today I spoke to a resident who contacted me about problems being faced by allotment holders who have allotments on Hexham Road off Northumberland Avenue.

My constituent R who has had an allotment in Hexham Road for many years told me that he has today reported to the Police a series of thefts and damage to the allotments.

Bags of compost has been stolen, plants have been ripped up and recently a greenhouse was also stolen.

As you can imagine this is causing distress to allotment holders. Many of them spend many hours there maintaining their plots including at least one person I know with no other outside space.

This is not the first time that has happened and in the past when it was raised with us we succeeded in getting extra Police patrols and help from RBC to reduce break-ins.

I have written to Inspector Penny Mackenzie at Thames Valley Police and senior RBC officers requesting that this matter is investigated as soon as possible and any culprits brought to justice.

Northumberland Avenue - Police respond to community concerns

This evening residents who live in and around Northumberland Avenue received this message from the North Whitley Police team which I have attached below for information:

On Wednesday 22nd June Thames Valley Police have carried out a number of drug warrants in your neighbourhood.

The operation is as a result of community concerns surrounding drug-related and anti-social behaviour in the area that has been having an impact on people’s quality of life.

A number of arrests have been made and we have seized significant evidence in relation to several different criminal offences, including the possession and supply of Class A drugs.

Your local neighbourhood officers will be patrolling the area in the coming weeks. Please take the opportunity to raise any issues you may have.

We will also be holding two public meetings to update you on our actions
 
Tues 5th July 2011 – 7pm (Youth & Community Centre)
Weds 20th July 2011 – 7pm outside the library

Please come and meet the team and some of the people we work with to make this area a better and safer place to live.

If you have any information you think may be relevant to this investigation, or any other criminal activity in the area, please contact the Thames Valley Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505.

If you don’t wish to speak to police and don’t want to leave your name contact the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

Residents have been forced to put up with serious anti-social behaviour for months and in some cases years in this area so I'm really pleased to see the Council and the Police are now making a concerted effort to tackle problems.

Not only that, I am pleased to see the Police take time to communicate with residents about what they are doing locally. This is very important to build confidence.

However, this must not be a one off. Nothing is more damaging to community confidence than for Police officers and Council officers to appear and then disappear leaving problems unsolved.

Locally I have actively supported residents who have contacted me and led calls for action in the face of silence from all other political representatives in the area.

Two weeks ago I met senior Police and Council officers and demanded a better response as I feel residents have not had the support they deserve in recent months.

I will continue to campaign for more effective action against perpetrators of crimes in the area and more support for local residents.

Whether it is drugs, street-drinking or parking infringements local agencies must listen to the community and respond accordingly.