Blog analytics.. that's technical!!

Hello again,

I have been checking the analytics of the blog again and am pleased to say that the monthly average number of visits to the blog is up about 140 a month now. That’s really good, and it’s about a 50/50 split on new visitors and returning visitors. So if you are returning visitor – thanks for coming back and would be great if you could send some comments to let me know what you think and anything that you would like included. For the new visitors – welcome and I hope you become repeat visitors. The average time spent on the blog is over a minute – and when you think of how much can be read in a minute – that’s very good really. The best in the current month is a visitor from New York state in the USA – on their first visit that spent over 30 minutes on the blog. Also visits from Brazil, Ireland, Australia and Germany.

Yesterday we had the St Marys Community Priority Setting meeting at Central Hall. Although only 7 people attended, there was some good discussion regarding the concerns and worries. You may remember that one of the Community Priorities for St Marys was anti social behaviour related to unemployed people. I had gained details from the Council about the Worklessness project and the have schemes in Woolston and Harefield looking at getting people back to work. There is also the SAFE project and that currently has a scheme running at James St Church. Mandy from the church gave us some information about that. So there is a lot going on.

In fact this priority was closed as we have some ideas of schemes, and the homeless drinkers in Holyrood priority was also closed, due to a couple of chaps being arrested and the problem has reduced. In their place, the two new priorities were agreed as Drug Dealing and activity at the rear of block 122 Golden Grove and Street Drinking in Kingsland Square. These will both be dealt with by way of increased and directed patrols to the area and stop checking/searching people and enforcement of the drinking zone regulations. Pretty straight forward priorities for us. The neighbourhood Wardens will also assist with the drugs as they can report any drug related litter etc.

I think I mentioned that several of my PCSO have applied to join as police officers now that recruiting has started again. Well, it is no surprise that they are starting to be accepted. PCSO Kelly Drodge has been accepted, subject to her medical and the others have their assessments coming up this month. Good luck to them all and hopefully we will get replacements in quickly so we can continue with all our engagement.

I visited the Pupil Referral Unit in the Melborne Centre last week which caters for some of the older kids out of mainstream education. Obviously there are some challenging individuals there, and staff are keen to get us to pop in and be part of the school. PCSO Mark Reynolds has often visited in the past and done sports with some of them, but hopefully the plan is to have a bit more of a forum type engagement and help to break some barriers between the kids and the police. Many of the children here have had plenty of contact with the Police, but often not friendly.

Finally, earlier today we had another meeting about the new Police Station. I am the ‘move champion’ for the Safer Neighbourhood Teams, looking to ensure we get the facilities etc that we need. The new station is coming on well, and hopefully this time next year we will be there. Let’s see…

Till next time

Cheers

Dick