As your Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator for Chediston, I arranged a meeting with two members of the Police Force, including the PCSO responsible for our parish. My new NHW assistant, Pat Mattinson, was also present. I instigated this as I felt that Chediston has been badly served by the Police Force. The following matters were discussed:
1. Regular patrols in a marked car so that a Polce presence can been seen; I do know that on at least one occasion when the Police have been called, they have had to ask where Chediston actually is!
Apparently our PCSO does come through our parish sometimes in a marked car and sometimes in an unmarked one. I have requested that she calls in to me or at least lets me know when she passes so that I can report this to our readers.
2. Why the Police Reports relating to Halesworth area (entitled Beccles Area) are no longer being fed to the website by the Police. This is important because they contain information about villages close by to us. At preesnt we only receive the Saxmundham area (of which Chediston & Linstead form part).
The police co-ordinator will look into this and report back to me. So you will probably see these reports re-emerge.
3. It had been brought to my attention that speeding is an issue along The Green and towards the B1123 and indeed also on the B1123. It had been suggested that a team in the parish are trained to operate a radar speed gun.
This is quite possible (as previously reported on this website) but apparently the problem is that there has to be a claer 150 metre stretch of straight road and also a layby in which to pull cars into. The Police will respond with any other ideas they may have which may include a radar recording camera. I thought that soem radar signs may do the trick but we need to approach Highways for that!
4. Police attendance at Parish Council meetings.
The police are invited to attend by the Parish Clerk and they try to attend. (I haven't seen an attendance very often!). In future our PCSO will endeavour to send a report or attend.
5. The Police will bring a mobile police station into the Parish (probably on the Community Field), just to show a presence and answer any queries that villagers may have. This should help with communication between the Police & the parish.
6. I have a number of booklets and pamphlets relating to security etc; if anyone would like one, use the Contact Us tab. I will put some in the Chediston Schoolroom and also give some to Malcolm Heath to place in the Linstead Hall.
If anyone has any further queries that you would like me to put to the Police, just let me know.
Any further developments, I will report on in due course.
David Mantell