Back!

Back again,

I am back from my three weeks' leave so time for an update. As you are asking - yes very nice leave thanks, five days in Scotland and went up Ben Nevis, then two weeks in Canada visiting my son and his family. Great fun with the three grandchildren. I mentioned about the blog and my daughter-in-laws comment was to tell me to stop introducing the blog as 'Hello again' and try something different, hence I used back again at the start of this one. But at least I can confirm that the blog is being read as far away as Canada!

Well I came back to the expected 350+ emails and time to catch up on the crimes for the patch. Vehicle crime has increased slightly - up to 20 for the rolling month for Northam, Newtown and St Marys. A few months ago we went up to 50+ for the rolling month, so we are looking at what we can do to reduce the figures again. There was one recently at Northam Community Centre, where the improved CCTV showed it's worth when there was evidence on the CCTV system, so hopefully this will further help reduce incidents around the community centre.

We are into the school summer holidays, and as yet no increase in reports of anti-social behaviour on the patch. This is in line with recent holiday periods for us, and as with last year we have the summer activities running daily at St Marys School field with Jazz Bhatti and the Saints in the Community. The programme is even bigger than last year with activities from 10am to 3pm. Just hope for decent weather! Activities include football, tag rugby, dance, arts and craft, basketball and plenty of others.

For those of you who use the footbridge from Northam Road to the stadium you will also notice that the painting we started last year is getting finished this year. We got as far as the Saints stripes last year, but this time have everything in place to complete the rest of the bridge. The local youngsters have canvassed residents and bridge users to see what they wanted on the bridge. The results are Saints related stuff at that end of the bridge and Southampton history at the Northam Rd end. The youth leaders from Baseline and City Reach have been overseeing the project and painting has started. It should look really good.

As mentioned on the last blog, PC Steve Mckenzie has moved on the City centre Unit and his replacement has been identified as PC Sharon Conway from Bitterne and she joins us on 3 September. We welcome Sharon and she will be out and about in St Marys as soon as she arrives. PCSO Fiona Oates has resigned, to go to University, so she will be leaving in September and I have to ask for a replacement. Finally, and probably most importantly, my Inspector - Chris Kirby, is leaving after over 30 years service, so it will be a change above as well. It never stands still here.

As ever there were meetings during my first week back. I had the Community Tasking and Co-ordinating Group and the Northam Patch Chat. No great new issues at either meeting. I have had a reminder from a resident in St Marys about cyclists on the pavement again, so will get the PCSOs to up the enforcement again. Other than that, touch wood, things are not too bad - unless you know different, and if you do, please let me know!

Cheers

Dick