Congleton Neighbourhood Policing Unit Update – March 2009.
Dear Sir/Madam,
Community Engagement is at the heart of delivering effective Neighbourhood Policing, and the purpose of this report is to keep Key Individuals within the Borough of Congleton, informed of what policing activity has been taking place, and what is being planned.
I would encourage, and be grateful, if you would use the information contained within these reports, to highlight local policing activity within your sphere of influence, be it a school newsletter, a parish council newsletter, website or any other medium.
What’s been going on?
Staff changes – PCSO Dan Barker has now left to start his police training with Greater Manchester Police. Dan was one of the first partner-funded PCSO’s to work within Congleton Borough and will be a big loss to Sandbach Town. Other losses from the team recently, and over the next few weeks, will be PC Fiona Webster and PC Lee Morris (who are off to HQ roles) and PC Jayne Boote who has started with the Tutor Unit over at Macclesfield.
Dan Barker’s replacement, PCSO Spike Elliott, and also Sarah Jinks (replacing PCSO Helen Harrison who covered Alsager) are both coming to the end of their initial training and join us in the next couple of weeks – I’ve met them both and, (first impressions!) we’ve managed to get a couple of good un’s!
I’m rearranging the teams across the area from April to try and ensure a better presence in all 5 towns throughout the day and evenings. No extra staff unfortunately so we are going to be spread a little more thinly than currently. However I am confident that a continual presence will provide better reassurance levels than the “feast or famine” that currently occurs. I will keep you updated with progress.
Streetsafe – The latest Streetsafe Operation was held at an authorised traveller’s site in Middlewich on the 26th February. All the agencies were made to feel very welcome and we managed to gather a lot of information that will be actioned over the next few weeks. The travelling community is a community most agencies have struggled to engage with historically and Streetsafe has proved to be an effective way of engaging.
Dogs seized - An operation involving the local Congleton Community team with officers from the RSPCA and HQ departments resulted in the seizure and destruction of two dangerous dogs from Dale Crescent following numerous complaints and incidents. A third dog is also being examined by veterinary experts.
Burglars arrested - The arrest of two men from the Leicestershire area in relation to a series of distraction burglaries (bogus officials) throughout South Cheshire and North Staffordshire was a welcome result. They have been charged with an offence in Congleton and are currently on remand awaiting trial.
Additionally a male has appeared in court following 12 burglaries at shops and officers in Alsager Town Centre. The 39-year-old male was remanded in custody until 24th March for his next court appearance.
Warning to Anti Social Drivers Two men arrested as part of the campaign to curb anti-social driving in Sandbach and Alsager both received suspended prison sentences. They were also both banned from driving for 18 months and ordered to do unpaid community service; one for 180 hours, the other for 120 hours. The men were convicted of dangerous driving on the Wheelock by-pass.
ArcAngel Protected Town Congleton's Archangel Town initiative is now under way with many licensed premises signing up. This has seen an increase in attendees at Pub watch Meetings and a more supportive approach to the scheme. Funding has also been secured to link up the Shop watch radio system to the Congleton Borough Council's CCTV office. This will ensure the continued success of the system and has also generated interest from the Pub watch members. A Northwest Communications representative attended at the last Pub watch meeting and has agreed to supply radios to licensed premises on a trial basis. The hope is licensed premises will see the benefits and make this permanent.
Drugs – As mentioned in the last edition a series of drug operations around the nighttime economy has been taking place throughout February and March. A dog trained to detect drugs joined Police Officers checking pubs and bars in Middlewich, Holmes Chapel and Sandbach. The increased patrols and use of the dog has been well received by local licensees and customers and several arrests for possessing cocaine and cannabis have been made.
Road Safety - This month saw the Congleton team engaged in a Driver Engagement day in partnership with the Fire Service. Each offending motorist was offered education delivered by the Fire Service instead of a fixed penalty ticket. A total of 109 drivers were stopped:
84 not wearing seatbelts
17 using a mobile phone
2 driving with excessive speed.
6 others (including one lady putting on make up whilst driving)
61 signed up to the Set the Pace campaign.
9 motorists elected to be issued with fixed penalty notices.
Finally
I hope you welcome this information and any feedback would be welcomed at:
congleton.cat@cheshire.pnn.police.uk (Please mark for attention of Inspector Gammage) or by post to:
Inspector Mark Gammage
Congleton Neighbourhood Policing Unit
Sandbach Police Station
Middlewich Road
Sandbach
CW11 2HZ
Press release from Alsager Community Theatre
We need actors!
Alsager Community Theatre is searching for new talent to take part in its production of Shakespeare’s fast and furious play, The Comedy of Errors, which takes place in the beautiful courtyard of Little Moreton Hall in July. The play is partly cast, but there are still roles available for men and women of all ages: some are large, some are medium, some are small and some are “extras with lots of comic business”.
This tale of two sets of twins, separated in infancy and fetching up in the same town as adults, provides for a host of farcical misunderstandings and opportunities for comic acting.
The play is set in the Eastern Mediterranean, in a place where strange things might happen and weird people inhabit the streets:
“They say this town is full of cozenage;
As nimble jugglers that deceive the eye
Dark-working sorcerers that change the mind
Soul-killing witches that deform the body.”
The six performances take place in the courtyard of Little Moreton Hall between the 9th and the 18th July 2009.
If you are interested in taking part, or for further information, please contact the play’s director, Maree Thorpe, on 01260 276165.
Diana Lane
ACT Publicity Officer
(01260 280813)
Alsager In Bloom 2008
News Flash!
Alsager wins runner up award in Large Town Category !!!
The Alsager in Bloom Committee can now announce success at the North West In Bloom awards held at the BT convention centre in Liverpool on the 7th October.
The team were delighted to receive the runners up certificate in the best large town category . For a first attempt this was a magnificent result. Sites are now set on projects for next years entry, with focus on making the most of the natural environment and encouraging local schools and organisations to be more closely involved.
This year’s entry featured a wonderful display of baskets , troughs and planters supported by various businesses and groups in Alsager, and the Cheshire year of the Garden 08 fund. The Judges, from North West in Bloom visited Alsager in July, and in addition to a tour of the town’s “green” spots, they met children from the alsager schools, and looked at examples of their work, including the footprint made outside Alsager library by children from Excalibur school.
This is not the end of the 2008 efforts however, as a winter display is planned to keep the colours coming.
Anyone willing to donate time, resources or financial support should contact
Christine bates on 01270 877802
South East Cheshire Enterprise
November 5, 2008
Bright future for business award winner
A young salesman from Holmes Chapel, Richard Greenhill, declared Congleton Borough’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year, is looking towards a bright future – with a renovation company called Stonebright!
Richard, aged 20, whose father and grandfather are both self-made businessmen, beat nine other finalists to a £2,500 first prize in a contest styled on TV’s The Apprentice.
Organised by South East Cheshire Enterprise and Congleton Chamber of Commerce, the contest was aimed at encouraging a spirit of enterprise in young people. Although Richard has already proved himself an entrepreneur by renovating his first property, he says he intends to stick with his job as a salesman in the meantime.
Richard was declared the winner by Ruth Badger, runner up in the TV show in 2006, at a presentation in Congleton Town Hall. Runners up for the award were Paul Garbett aged 20 and Alex Jones aged 18.
Peter Whiers, Chief Executive of South East Cheshire Enterprise, said: “Richard proved his enterprising qualities as a young entrepreneur and serves as an example for other young people in our area to follow.”
The Young Entrepreneur of the Year award may be extended to cover the whole of the new Cheshire East council area next year covering Crewe, Nantwich and Macclesfield as well as the Congleton, Sandbach, Middlewich and Alsager areas.
Congleton Neighbourhood Policing Unit
Update - March 2009
Dear Sir/Madam,
Community Engagement is at the heart of delivering effective Neighbourhood Policing, and the purpose of this report is to keep Key Individuals within the Borough of Congleton, informed of what policing activity has been taking place, and what is being planned.
I would encourage, and be grateful, if you would use the information contained within these reports, to highlight local policing activity within your sphere of influence, be it a school newsletter, a parish council newsletter, website or any other medium.
What’s been going on?
Staff changes – PCSO Dan Barker has now left to start his police training with Greater Manchester Police. Dan was one of the first partner-funded PCSO’s to work within Congleton Borough and will be a big loss to Sandbach Town. Other losses from the team recently, and over the next few weeks, will be PC Fiona Webster and PC Lee Morris (who are off to HQ roles) and PC Jayne Boote who has started with the Tutor Unit over at Macclesfield.
Dan Barker’s replacement, PCSO Spike Elliott, and also Sarah Jinks (replacing PCSO Helen Harrison who covered Alsager) are both coming to the end of their initial training and join us in the next couple of weeks – I’ve met them both and, (first impressions!) we’ve managed to get a couple of good un’s
I’m rearranging the teams across the area from April to try and ensure a better presence in all 5 towns throughout the day and evenings. No extra staff unfortunately so we are going to be spread a little more thinly than currently. However I am confident that a continual presence will provide better reassurance levels than the “feast or famine” that currently occurs. I will keep you updated with progress.
Streetsafe – The latest Streetsafe Operation was held at an authorised traveller’s site in Middlewich on the 26th February. All the agencies were made to feel very welcome and we managed to gather a lot of information that will be actioned over the next few weeks. The travelling community is a community most agencies have struggled to engage with historically and Streetsafe has proved to be an effective way of engaging.
Dogs seized - An operation involving the local Congleton Community team with officers from the RSPCA and HQ departments resulted in the seizure and destruction of two dangerous dogs from Dale Crescent following numerous complaints and incidents. A third dog is also being examined by veterinary experts.
Burglars arrested - The arrest of two men from the Leicestershire area in relation to a series of distraction burglaries (bogus officials) throughout South Cheshire and North Staffordshire was a welcome result. They have been charged with an offence in Congleton and are currently on remand awaiting trial.
Additionally a male has appeared in court following 12 burglaries at shops and officers in Alsager Town Centre. The 39 year old male was remanded in custody until 24th March for his next court appearance.
Warning to Anti Social Drivers Two men arrested as part of the campaign to curb anti-social driving in Sandbach and Alsager both received suspended prison sentences. They were also both banned from driving for 18 months and ordered to do unpaid community service; one for 180 hours, the other for 120 hours. The men were convicted of dangerous driving on the Wheelock by-pass.
ArcAngel Protected Town Congleton's Archangel Town initiative is now under way with many licensed premises signing up. This has seen an increase in attendees at Pub watch Meetings and a more supportive approach to the scheme. Funding has also been secured to link up the Shop watch radio system to the Congleton Borough Council's CCTV office. This will ensure the continued success of the system and has also generated interest from the Pub watch members. A Northwest Communications representative attended at the last Pub watch meeting and has agreed to supply radios to licensed premises on a trial basis. The hope is licensed premises will see the benefits and make this permanent.
Drugs – As mentioned in the last edition a series of drug operations around the night time economy has been taking place throughout February and March. A dog trained to detect drugs joined Police Officers checking pubs and bars in Middlewich, Holmes Chapel and Sandbach. The increased patrols and use of the dog has been well received by local licensees and customers and several arrests for possessing cocaine and cannabis have been made.
Road Safety - This month saw the Congleton team engaged in a Driver Engagement day in partnership with the Fire Service. Each offending motorist was offered education delivered by the Fire Service instead of a fixed penalty ticket. A total of 109 drivers were stopped:
84 not wearing seatbelts
17 using a mobile phone
2 driving with excessive speed.
6 others (including one lady putting on make up whilst driving)
61 signed up to the Set the Pace campaign.
9 motorists elected to be issued with fixed penalty notices.
Finally
I hope you welcome this information and any feedback would be welcomed at:
congleton.cat@cheshire.pnn.police.uk (Please mark for attention of Inspector Gammage) or by post to:
Inspector Mark Gammage
Congleton Neighbourhood Policing Unit
Sandbach Police Station
Middlewich Road
Sandbach
CW11 2HZ
