(PROVISIONAL) Notes of Neighbourhood Watch Meeting on Tuesday, 3rd March 2009

Doddinghurst Parish Room


Attendance

Apologies were received from Peter Froebel and PCSOs Moira Kennedy and Susan Payne.

PC Dawn Barratt was present to represent the Police. 

So, too, was Colin Freeman, who introduced himself as Essex Watch Administrator.
Essex Watch, Colin explained, is an umbrella organisation aimed at helping and co-ordinating the existing Watch organisations, such as:

Colin is responsible for the Harlow, Epping and Brentwood division of Essex. He is trying to start new Watches in these areas, and, particularly to reinstate some moribund ones that exist in little more than name alone.

Finance

Bill Reid reported that we now have received at least our fair share of the funds allocated to Colin, but that we could always use some more should they not be used elsewhere!


Speedwatch

Jim Smith reported that in 7 Speedwatch sessions, 95 vehicles have been recorded as travelling at excess speed, with one at 47mph. There have been no Speedwatch sessions recently due to the weather. The last three sessions, where one of the PCSOs (Moira os Susan) were present but the warning boards were not used, more vehicles were recorded than on the earlier Neighbourhood Watch only sessions. Even here, however. motorists were soon flashing their lights at each other to warn of the Watch and the number of speeding vehicles rapidly reduced.

The meeting discussed a proposal that the scheme might be expanded by the use of a police patrol car to apprehend speeding drivers immediately, rather than relying on warning letters as at present. It was generally felt that as we have had many villagers stop to express their appreciation of Speedwatch so far. such a system might alienate folk and make Speedwatch more difficulat to continue.

Jim is now booking Speedwatch sessions in advance with Moira and Susan, and will be calling others to attend when he has the dates agreed. He still invites other trained NHW members to have a Speedwatch session with the warning boards if they wish.

PCSO Update


Bill Reid reported an exchange of emails with Susan Payne over the events of the snowy days and the demolition of the 'phone box, the Parish Priest's fence and the breaking of various windows, including those of the school . From the descriptions presented by various NHW members, it sounded as though something close to a riot had occurred . Such CCTV footage as was available has been analysed, but the quality was poor and many of the attackers had their faces concealed by hoods and scarves, so identification was not possible

Ingrid Van de Pol reported at length on the way she is being victimised  after having attempted to identify some local culprits, but is getting little support from the police. On one occasion the police had even refused to issue her with a crime number despite her suffering clearly threatening behaviour. The same happened to another NHW member when the police felt unable to take any action against the youths who were firing rockets horizontally around the village, since the NHW member was unable to give a description of someone in the dark! In general it appears that in any case villagers feel too threatened to photograph or identify the offenders for fear of victimisation.

One villager reported to Bill Reid that she did not know how to make an emergency call to the police. Dawn Barratt reported that, thanks to television coverage, quite a few children think that the emergency number is 911, not 999. Bill volunteered to try to get a contact of his in to talk to both NHW and Junior NHW about when to make a 999 call,  when to use 03003334444 or the Crimestoppers number 0800555111. Also about what information to give concisely when calling 999 and what happens as a result.

Colin Freeman and Bill Reid both stated how important it is for affected people to attend the NAPS meeting to put pressure on the police to take action. However, Bill did report that there are already occasional uniformed, plain clothes and motor cycle patrols visiting the village to supplement the valiant efforts of Susan and Moira.

NHW Signs

Peter Fisk reported that although he had emailed BT to seek their final agreement to the fixings proposed for the signs, he had received no response. As BT's Mr Challis had said that he was sure all should be acceptable, Peter proposed to go ahead anyway. ACTION Bill Reid to order the signs. ACTION Peter Fisk to inform the police before we actually start installing them.

NHW Junior Section

Bill Reid exhibited one of the two suggestion boxes that he has bought to install at the Junior School.
He also reported that Headmistress Mrs Cooper will be encouraging the children to submit a small piece of text to The Link about their activities each month.
Two items for the next meeting include setting the final location of the signs based on the feedback from the children, and the use of invisible ink and ultraviolet lights to show ways of marking property.
There was some further ( but inconclusive discussion) on the costs of suppying NHW t-shirts to the children, particularly since they will be moving on to other schools as their time in Juniors ends.

Other


AOB


Future events



Peter Fisk pp Peter Froebel

NHW Secretary

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