MINUTES 26 March 2009

Attendees: Fran Markotic (chair), Claudia Hodds (minutes), Drew Thomas, Lisa Etherton, Joan & Eddy Smith, Mary Beer, Eunja & Stewart Palmen, Hilly Prendergast, Danny Rogers, Dave Clift, Karl Buckingham, Irina Kuplinova, Mary Carter, Joan McErlain, Robert Cryer, Sharon Rodford, Teresa Hibbs, Tim Graydon, Liz King, Chalice Bickertstaffe, Cllr Graham Hedley, Cllr Clive Blackmore. Maryrose Mantle, PC SO Maria Badder, PCSO Joe Leeds

Apologies: Nicola Horrell, Sharon Draper, Mark McLaughlin

The minutes of February’s meetings were approved without amendments.

Forthcoming NARA events

Skittles evening

– Saturday May 2nd 7:00pm to be held at Wesley Road Club – Fran will organise with Teresa Hibbs who volunteered to assist. We will have a raffle – Mary Carter to bring tickets, everybody to bring prizes, wrapped up. We need to know approximate numbers, so please contact Fran (tel: 710457) to say if you are coming (or tell her at April’s meeting).

Car Boot Sale in Wesley Road Club carpark

– this will be organised at next month’s meeting..

Police Update

- Boundaries for police responsibilities are to change from 1st April – Maria will no longer be looking after Newtown, Joe Leeds will take over. He will be looking after “Trowbridge Central” (town centre & Newtown). There will be one more PCSO with him, possibly two. PC Jim Adams is our new Communities Beat Manager.
- Vehicle damage around Valentine’s Day: 38 cars were damaged. Police questions residents in approx. 200 households in approx. 10 streets and unfortunately still were not able to catch the culprits. Since then there was more vandalism in Bradford-on-Avon and Trowbridge, and the culprits have now been caught. They were sentenced today to 300 community hours.
- There was a VW Passat parked on the corner outside JBM stores so that no-one could get into Bond St. Maria put a ticket on the car and will keep an eye out whether they will re-offend.
- The next ‘Neighbourhood Tasking Group’ meeting for Trowbridge Central will be on Wednesday 10th June at 2pm in the Shires CCTV Office.

Town Council Update

- Bradley Gardens Residents Association – community event in Chapman’s Field on 22nd August.
- Longfields Residents Association and Community Centre – open to Teenagers (incl. non-residents) on Fri & Sat.
- Longfield Community Centre – 6th April free play & safety awareness day with various activities for children.
- Wallways Court – 6th – 9th April arts, crafts & face painting from 8am – 5.30pm. £6 / day.
- CERA – Chief Superintendent Kirby will attend a Q&A session on 22nd April.
- Verify-Me scheme – ID card based on fingerprint technology as proof of age. To be launched in Trowbridge in cooperation with pubs and clubs, also trying to integrate Tesco and ASDA. Will be able to get this in the post office for £0.50 - £1 and the card will not display name / address, but owner will be identified via their finger print.

West Street

Recently more wing mirrors seem to have been damaged than before. The street is used as a cut-through from people who want to avoid queues on Wingfield Road, who often drive too fast.
There was a party recently which had been advertised by a teenager on a social networking site and more than 100 guests showed up, many uninvited / unknown to the person who had the party. A car was damaged by vandalising guests.

Planting Scheme

The District Council will be putting £20 towards the planting scheme... Trowbridge Town Council is still trying to get money / plants for Newtown.

Grants

Grants are available for gates and alleyways. Carl will provide further details.

Street Pastor Scheme

Stewart Palmen showed a DVD and explained how the street pastor scheme works, which was launched in Trowbridge in March. The presentation was received with much interest, and the meeting appreciated the effort of those volunteers that spend some weekend nights on the streets, trying to improve safety and wellbeing in Trowbridge.

NEXT MEETINGS :

Wednesday 22 April
Tuesday 26 May
Thursday 25 June

Email for PCSOs: collegeandnewtownnpt@wiltshire.police.uk
PC 2212 Jo Bagg jo.bagg@wiltshire.pnn.police.uk
PCSO 6163 Maria Badder Telephone: 0845 408 7000

For potholes and flooding problems in the roads:

Call CLARENCE on 0800 23 23 23

Fran Markotic is NARA Chair: 01225 710457 fran.jason@btinternet.com