News From Millmead – Latest Council Round-up

Published on: 26 Aug, 2017
Updated on: 29 Aug, 2017

By Louisa Magnussen

The Safer Guildford Partnership Plan tackling crime in our town

Keeping the streets of Guildford safe from crime, the Safer Guildford Partnership has been approved for its 2017-2020 plan.

The partnership focuses on preventing crime in the following key areas:

Threat, harm, risk and vulnerability, including serious and organised crime, child sexual exploitation, modern day slavery, domestic abuse, threat of radicalization, identifying and preventing potential terrorist related activities through training awareness, cyber related crime and supporting vulnerable victims.
Identifying and tackling antisocial behaviour hotspot locations and perpetrators.
Reducing re-offending.
Promoting reassurance to the public to help make communities stronger.

The updated plan comes after three years of work between:

Surrey County Council
Surrey Fire and Rescue Service
Surrey Youth Services
Guildford and Waverley Clinical Commissioning Group
Surrey Police
National Probation Service
Guildford Borough Council

At a recent council meeting, the lead councillor for licensing and community safety, Cllr Graham Ellwood, said: “We are fortunate that Guildford is one of the safest places to live, work and visit in the country, with low levels of recorded crime.

“However, we know that residents have concerns about community safety issues, such as anti-social behaviour, and we tackle these locally through the Safer Guildford Partnership.”

Having fun at National Play Day

Guildford Borough Council’s Playrangers delighted local children by hosting a free National Play Day event earlier in August.

Cllr Iseult Roche (third left) and the Deputy Mayor of Guildford, Cllr Mike Parsons (second left), help celebrate National Play Day at the Beech Grove Playground, Army Training Centre, Pirbright.

With giant inflatable obstacle courses, toasting food over an open fire, face painting and getting active with an army PT trainer, families spent a playful, if a little rainy, day together.

Lots of fun at the National Play Day event in Pirbright.

The family day was put on at the Beech Grove Playground, Army Training Centre, Pirbright, to highlight the importance of play in children’s lives.

For more information visit www.guildford.gov.uk/playrangers

Captions:

Toasting marshmallows over the fire bowl at National Play Day
Lots of fun at National Play Day
Slides at National Play Day

Joint enforcement team begins crime stopping work across the borough

Combatting antisocial behaviour, a new Joint Enforcement Team (JET) has been launched across Guildford borough.

Guildford Borough Council’s Surrey Law Enforcement van.

The JET brings together the council’s already established enforcement teams and Surrey Police and aims to be a highly visible presence, deterring would be offenders of low-level crime.

The initiative will be directed by Guildford Borough Council’s Joint Action Group, which comprises police officers, planning and housing enforcement officers, borough community officers, environmental health officers and traffic wardens.

The lead councillor for licensing and community safety, Cllr Graham Ellwood, said: “By bringing together the enforcement powers of key teams from across the council and Surrey Police, the Joint Enforcement Team will be able to quickly deal with those issues that we know impact residents.”

Typically, the issues that a JET is empowered to deal with include:

Antisocial behaviour
Antisocial parking including outside schools
Dealing with traveller incursions
Dog fouling
Fly-posting and graffiti
Fly-tipping and littering
Street trading
Abandoned vehicles
Notices to clear waste on land
Taxi licensing

Successful pilot JET projects were run in the boroughs of Reigate & Banstead, and Spelthorne before coming to Guildford.

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey, David Munro said: “I hope the Guildford team can replicate the success of the JETs already set up in other parts of Surrey and tackle some of those issues such as antisocial behaviour and fly-tipping, which residents tell us are so important to them.”

To report issues, contact Guildford Borough Council through: www.guildford.gov.uk/selfservice or its customer service centre on 01483 505050.

In an emergency Surrey Police should always be contacted by dialling 999. To report non-emergency incidents either report these online at the Surrey Police website: www.surrey.police.uk or by calling 101.