Crime and Disorder meetings

I have attended several meetings about Anti-Social Behaviour and Crime as a local Southcote Councillor and Lead Councillor for Children's Services.

NORCOT & SOUTHCOTE SAFER COMMUNITY FORUM

I chaired the local Community Forum in which the Police, Council Officers and Youth Workers attended along with several local residents and Tenants Representatives. The theme of the meeting was that the average number of crimes in Southcote had reduced from 46.7 to 32.3 in the last three months, a reduction of 30.7% from 2009.

The Police reported that there was a slight decrease in Domestic Burglary, a large decrease in Robbery, a good decrease in Vehicle Crime rates, a large decrease in Violent Crime and a 37% drop in Anti- Social Behaviour reports.

The meeting agreed that with a definite increase in Police presence with the local PCSO's walking the area on a regular on a regular basis this was assisting in a reduction of crime.

However, the feeling amongst many residents is that whilst it is appreciated that levels of crime and anti-social behaviour has reduced many local residents still have a fear of crime and do not venture out at night and that some crimes go unreported. The meeting committed to ensure residents know who the local Police are and to make sure all crimes are reported and that arrests are made and charges brought to build on confidence of the Police and other agencies.

SOUTHCOTE NEIGHBOUR ACTION GROUP

I attended the local NAG, Chaired by Southcote resident Gary Murphy. The meeting was dominated by the problems of speeding traffic along Southcote Lane and the citing of the traffic camera at the junction of Southcote Lane and Circuit Lane, stopping traffic attempting to rat run up Southcote Lane instead of using the Bath Road.

One local resident voiced concerns that speeding traffic will cause an accident unless some measures are put in place. The meeting discussed the speed cameras already in place and the concrete crossing point opposite Fawley Road that slows traffic close to Blessed Hugh Faringdon School. We agreed that the Police and Transport officials at Reading Borough Council would meet with the NAG and Councillors to look at what can be done to slow traffic on Southcote Lane.

The meeting also raised the widespread concern of parking and we agreed to look at consulting residents about how parking can be less of a problem in some Southcote streets, such as Southcote Lane and Burghfield Road.

CRIME and DISORDER REDUCTION PARTNERSHIP

I attend the CDRP as Lead Councillor for Children and I was pleased to hear an update on the progress on the Family Intervention Project which has received Government finances to bring together services for children and families identified as vulnerable for poverty, joblessness, homelessness and the potential to commit offences. The services already being used by the families identified will be drawn together and joined up even more providing a better outcome, not just for the families identified but for the community in general, with less crimes being committed and more children being taken out of the poverty trap.