PRESENT: Chair Karen Leakey, Vice-Chair Pam Freegard, Treasurer John Freegard, Secretary and Archivist Kevin Leakey, Diana Banner, John Clark, Vi Clark, Paul Izquierdo, Kate Johnson, Kay Malko, Cluniford Mason, Madge Sutton, Ros Timlin, Roy Townsend, Pat Townsend, Bob Walter, Robert Williams and 6 other residents
ALSO PRESENT: PC Kuklinski - Vice Manager, PCSO Rogers, Tim French, Kathryn Hawke
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Muhammad Chaudhry, Evelyn Mason, Rebecca McIntosh, PC Atkinson - Broad Street Area Beat Manager, Mark Walker – SBC, Councillor Julie Wright
The following issues, points and information were raised and discussed
Fly tipping – residents have been seen putting furniture in back alleyways.
Shop bins being stored on the pavements.
A tree was growing through a garage pushing the wall into the alleyway. SBC have looked at it but don’t consider it a danger, however residents are very concerned that it is not safe.
The hall and lounge were now booked for our 40th Anniversary Celebration.
The Chair reminded residents that Angus McPherson, Police and Crime Commissioner, would be attending the October meeting and that he was involved in the management of the Breakfast Club and that all problems connected with fly tipping and bins on pavements should be reported to SBC or our councillors. The September meeting would be focused on prostitution and associated problems.
Police related issues raised by residents –
Back alleyways, particularly in the recesses at the back of residents garages, being used as toilets – problem reported in Alfred Street, Rosebery Street, Manchester Road and also people from the Breakfast Club were using the Broadgreen Centre, green area as a toilet and then going back into the club. This was causing some distress, particularly to older members of the community, where they have witnessed exposure and have to put up with the associated smell.
Threats to kill with a knife were heard being made in back alley – resident phoned 101, no Police response, resident told to fit a light to deter people.
Prostitutes had been fighting in a back alley.
Drinking in the alleyways is a constant issue in certain areas.
Concerns that Police crime figures included those connected with Tesco and STFC, which meant they didn’t really represent crime problems in the residential areas.
Could there be a direct number to call the Broadgreen Police Team?
PC Kuklinski emphasised how important it was that residents reported to the Police issues such as people using alleys as toilets and for drinking alcohol. If a Broadgreen NPT Officer was working at the time of the report, it would be investigated at the earliest possible opportunity, but unless residents reported these problems it was possible the Police would not be aware of them. If problems were logged, with as much detail as possible i.e. time, place, description of person/s involved, then evidence of persistent problems could be gathered and used to justify targeting areas with a particular problem.
With regards to drinking alcohol in the alleyways, a DPPO covered the area, meaning that if the Police were aware and caught people drinking alcohol in a public place, they could remove the alcohol and disperse those involved. A direct phone number for the Broadgreen NPT could be difficult - at the moment ‘101’ calls go to Devizes and the information is sent out to the Police PDA’s (hand held computer device), but a generic phone number could be considered as an option.
CORRESPONDENCE : Kevin Leakey
SENT –
Invite Angus McPherson, Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon, to attend a future meeting
RECEIVED –
Angus McPherson will attend the November meeting
Charity Commission Annual Return form for the financial period ending 31/03/2013
PLANNING –
S/13/0905 - 1-8 Manchester Road SN1 2AB - Change of use from retail to market stalls - Application Pending Consideration
S/13/1028 - 13 County Road SN1 2EG – Change of use from 1no. dwelling to 4no. bedsits - Application Pending Consideration
S/TC/13/0768 - Public Footpath Wellington Street (Opposite Haydon Street) - prior approval application for the installation of a public payphone – prior approval refused
TREASURERS REPORT - to 07 August 2013: John Freegard
HISTORY REPORT: Kevin Leakey
Unfortunately, as there was no support for the meeting organised before the August drop-in to discuss the history group and the Library event, it was cancelled. No date has been set for a future meeting.
The Central Library will be hosting their yearly autumn event on Saturday 21st September. The theme this year is about historical local people: prominent or unsung, famous or infamous, weird and wonderful: heroes & villains. We would like to attend this event; if you have any ideas or suitable items/photos, we would be very appreciative of your help. Please contact Kevin Leakey 01793 612842 broadgreenhistory@hotmail.co.uk
To encourage ideas for the above Library event, some images and details of 3 well-known former residents of Broadgreen/Queenstown were displayed. Jimmy Thomas – resident in Salisbury Street, Manchester Road and Broad Street and Local Railway Union Leader, Swindon Councillor, MP for Derby and Cabinet Minister. Jock Walker – Swindon Town player, Scotland International and chip shop owner in Manchester Road. Frederick Hawksworth Chief Mechanical Engineer of the GWR and resident of Manchester Road for 25 years.
We will hopefully hold an exhibition of old images of the area at our 40th Anniversary Celebration. It was suggested that it might be a good idea to see if we could come up with views that show how the area has changed over the last 40 years.
NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE TEAM REPORT: PCSO Rogers
PCSO Rogers reported on the following Broadgreen crime statistics between – 01 July and 31 July 2013.
Criminal damage – 9. (2012 – 03)
Violence – 5. (2012 – 8)
Theft – 17. (2012 – 17)
Drugs – 2. (2012 – 05)
Dwelling Burglary – 0. (2012 – 06)
Robbery – 0. (2012 – 1)
Anti-social behaviour – 10. (2012 – 15)
Intelligence reports – 206. (2012 – 133)
All crime is down with the exception of reported criminal damage offences. Of the 9 reported offences above these have all happened between 7th and 14th July due to an increase in damage to motor vehicles parked in the area. Since 14th July there have been no further incidents of this type reported.
To date, all crime in the town centre is down 8.1% compared to last year. In Broadgreen victim based crime is down 27.1%. This equates to 134 less reported crimes in the 12 months to July 2013 then in the 12 months previously. Vehicle Crime, Burglaries, Criminal Damages and offences of violence are all down between 12% and 27.1%
Reported incidents of Anti-Social behaviour in the Broadgreen area are down 18.2% based upon figures in the previous year.
Policing is an Intelligence driven business and we would urge you to contact Wiltshire Police on 101 if you have something you need to tell us. Or alternatively email Community Beat Manager PC 2410 Luke Atkinson on - luke.atkinson@wilthire.pnn.police.uk
PC Kuklinski - Vice Manager
Patrols, including plain-clothes patrols, were continuing on a regular basis.
Resident still needed to phone in prostitution problems (phone101) or contact by email - louise.kuklinski@wiltshire.pnn.police.uk, with details of the time, place, description of person/s involved
