Blaenau Gwent says ‘not in my neighbourhood’

Local people in Blaenau Gwent are being encouraged to say ‘not in my neighbourhood’ next week as part of a national campaign.

Gwent Police and Blaenau Gwent Council are planning a number of events and initiatives along with local groups and volunteers across the area as part of ‘Not In My Neighbourhood Week’ (Monday 2 November - Friday 6 November 2009).

The Home Office backed campaign aims to encourage local communities to work together to improve their quality of life and to raise awareness of the work that is already being done to address local issues.

Officers will be visiting local supermarkets to provide crime prevention advice to residents. They will be joined by members of crime prevention panels and neighbourhood watch schemes to encourage more volunteers to take part. Officers will also be post-coding property including mobile phones, sat navs and iPods.

• On Tuesday 3 November, they will be at Tesco in Ebbw Vale between 10am and 2pm.
• On Wednesday 4 November, they will be at Morrisions in Ebbw Vale between 10am and 2pm.

To help highlight any lapses in security, teams of officers, together with volunteers from the crime prevention panel and neighbourhood watch, will be carrying out checks on vehicles. They will be making sure that drivers are not leaving any items on view. If they find any items on display in vehicles, then they will contact the owners to reiterate the need to always keep property out of sight.

During the week, new doorstep crime packs will also be launched to help residents feel more secure in their homes.

The packs, which have been put together by Gwent Police and Blaenau Gwent Council’s Trading Standards will start to be delivered via crime prevention panels, neighbourhood watch schemes and some council services.

Over 20 voluntary Street Pastors from local churches will also be meeting council and police representatives, as they take a step closer to taking to the streets. The pastors will be offering help and advice to revellers in Abertillery and Ebbw Vale on Friday and Saturday nights once they have undertaken their training. It is hoped they will start in the New Year.

Blaenau Gwent Council will also be carrying out extra clean ups at any graffiti or litter ‘grot spots’ found in town centres throughout the week.

The next PACT (Partnerships and Communities Together) meeting for the Tredegar Central and West ward will also be held during Not In My Neighbourhood Week. The meeting will be held on Wednesday 4 November, at 7pm in the Youth Café on the Circle. Local residents are invited to attend to help identify the priorities for the ward.

In the run-up to the week, local officers are increasing their high visibility patrols. Blaenau Gwent Council’s Trading Standards officers will be visiting licensed premises to ensure that fireworks and alcohol are being sold in accordance with the law.

Neighbourhood officers are also encouraging local shops not to sell eggs and flour to under-18s around Halloween. This is being echoed in posters reminding people that ‘eggs have many uses, throwing isn’t one of them’.

Gwent Police posters have also been delivered to local schools, reminding their students that not everyone wants to join in the festivities and to respect their wishes.

Residents who do not want to be disturbed can display a pumpkin poster in their window or door asking for no callers. You can download one from the Gwent Police website (www.gwent.police.uk), or pick one up from your local police station.

Inspector Phil Morris, said:
“There is a range of activities planned for the week to help highlight the work that is already underway in local communities to tackle local issues, as well as to offer crime prevention advice. We are also keen to get more members of the community involved in schemes such as neighbourhood watch, where the community works together and looks out for one another.”

Coun Des Hillman, Leader of Blaenau Gwent Council, said:
“We work closely with Gwent Police through our community safety partnership Safer Blaenau Gwent - this is just the time to step up patrols and help everyone feel safer.

But this is also a time when we can all join in - Blaenau Gwent is made up of strong and resilient local communities. I hope local people will rally to the call for volunteers and join together with us and with Gwent Police.”