Agenda for PCC hustings Oxford Town Hall Monday 5 November

Police & Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley Hustings Event

 7pm Monday 5th November 2012

Outline agenda

6.45pm-7.00pm

Assembly / submission of written questions.

 7.00pm

Welcome from Tim Sadler, Chair of the Oxford Safer Communities Partnership.

 7.05pm

Hand over to the Chair for the event, Professor Ian Loader, Dept Criminology,  Univ Oxford.

 7.05pm-7.30pm

Introduction from candidate – who they are, why they’re standing,what they want to achieve

 7.30pm-8.25pm

Debate (topics selected at  Chair’s discretion).  Answers from & challenges to the candidates

 8.25pm-8.30pm

Chair’s closing remarks.

 All invited. Admission free.

Public meeting with PCC candidates

Oxford Hustings

A public meeting will be held to meet some of the candidates for the Elections for Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).

The meeting takes place on Monday 5 November at Oxford Town Hall at 7pm.

The PCC elections for England and Wales take place on November 15.

The meeting will be chaired by Professor Ian Loader, Director of the Criminology Centre, University of Oxford, and is being organised by Tim Sadler, Chair of the Oxford Safer Communities Partnership.

The hustings event will consist of short speeches by each of the candidates, followed by a chaired debate and a question and answer session.

John Howson

Election statement:

John Howson Liberal Democrat candidate

As Police & Crime Commissioner I would:

Emphasise improved detection rates – For years Thames Valley did not solve enough crimes;

Ensure support for victims of crime is funded and not cut;

Protect frontline policing including bobbies on the beat;

Work with other agencies to ensure cases are progressed to court as quickly as possible;

Consult the public, community groups and elected representatives including town and parish councils about local policing priorities;

Listen to young people who cannot vote, but need a say about both crime and policing issues;

Ensure value for money – but protect services to the public.

Thames Valley is a very large police area, the largest non-urban police force in England. It ranges from sparsely populated rural areas in the Chilterns, Cotswolds and Berkshire Downs to urban centres such as Slough, Reading, Newbury, Oxford, Banbury, Bicester, Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Milton Keynes and many other towns and villages.

My key tasks as Police & Crime Commissioner:

  • Reduce crime and the fear of crime;
  • Improve police accountability, visibility, and work to raise public confidence in the police;
  • Target resources on detecting crime and cutting offending rates

My background

  • 22 years a Magistrate in Oxfordshire
  • Financial experience in the public, voluntary and private sectors, including running my own company.
  • National experience of criminal justice system. Led demands to stop police using out of court disposals that prevented cases coming to court and, as a result, victims not receiving compensation.
  • Expert on licensing law, and effects of the night time economy.
  • Been a victim of crime, including a stabbing and several burglaries.

This form has been prepared by Chris Williams election agent for John Howson of 10 Rhuddlan Close, Shenley Church End, Milton Keynes, MK5 6EL.

Contact details

www.johnhowson.com

If you want to see more details of the other candidates, please follow this link

Invest in a light timer switch this winter

If no light is on in your home, curtains are not drawn, and no car is in the drive, it’s an obvious sign to an opportunist burglar that no-one is in. At this time of the year more than any other it pays to secure your home.
There are a number of simple and free ways to do this, all of which will help reduce the chance of your home becoming the next target.

  • Visit a local retailer to pick up a 24 hour segment timer for under £5. The timer can be used with a lamp, radio or TV to give the impression that someone’s home. Remember to use an energy efficient light bulb 
  • Register your valuables on www.immobilise.com its free and takes just a few minutes and if your valuables are stolen, will allow you to tell the police, your insurer, and the second-hand trade to assist in recovering your property and catch the thief 
  • Keep valuables out of sight 
  • Lock your doors and windows, if you have a UPVC door make sure you have double locked it 

Making changes to national LibDem policy on speed limits

20's plenty - but is it enforced?

The draft policy motions for this year’s national Autumn LibDem conference have been published, including a motion on making all residential road speed limits 20 MPH over time.

Mindful of the campaigning undertaken by our residents on this issue, David and I checked the  small print and found that the draft policy needs amending to ensure that any 20MPH speed limit is enforced. We all know how difficult it has proved to get speed limit enforcement in Headington – with this amendment we are calling on Police and Crime Commissioners to plan for police support for councils where necessary to ensure the successful implementation  of 20 MPH limits in residential areas.

On drawing up the amendment we have received support from across the country as far away as Yorkshire, and the Local Government Association’s Lib Dem Group has helped draft a much tighter and workable change to the motion. We shall be voting on this amendment (and possibly speaking to it) on Monday 24 September.

That’s the great thing about being a LibDem, national party policy can be initiated or influenced by any of its members.

Thefts from cars on the increase

The number of thefts of property from cars in Headington  is on the increase as you can see from the following list.

1st July – Osler Road, Headington occurred between 12 and 4.40pm. Window smashed and an iPod was stolen.

1stJuly – JR Hospital car park. Window smashed and a Sat Nav was stolen.

3rdJuly – Burdell Avenue, Headington between 8pm and 6am. Vehicle left insecure, personal documents, work clothing/shoes, a Laptop and an iPod were stolen.

6thJuly – Cheney Lane, Headington between 4 and 6.30pm. Window smashed and a Laptop, an iPod and clothing were stolen.

6thJuly – Cheney Lane, Headington between 5.30 and 6.45pm forced with an instrument and a satchel was stolen.

7thJuly – Sandfield Road, Headington between 11am and 3pm.Window smashed a Sat Nav and cash were stolen.

7thJuly – Stapleton Road, Headington between 12pm and 8.30am. Window smashed and a Sat Nav was stolen.

8thJuly – Osler Road,Headington between 6.45pm and 11am.Window smashed and a Sat  Nav was stolen.

If you see or hear anything suspicious which could assist the Police with their investigation please contact the Non Emergency number 101 and leave a message for the Oxford Autocrime team.
In an Emergency please call the Police on 999.

Can you assist the Police with info about attempted burglaries?

On Wednesday night the 28th March a burglar attempted to gain entry to homes in Bickerton Road and Beech Road, Headington, at both locations the home owner disturbed the intruder.

Shortly afterwards in Woodlands Road a patrolling Police officer noticed a security light come on at a property and went to investigate.

He was able to alert the occupiers to the fact their home had been broken into and shortly afterwards Police detained the intruder and an accomplice nearby. Both are now in custody.

If you do see anyone suspicious lurking around your neighbourhood, dial 999, and let the police know, if an officer is in the area he/she can easily check out the situation.

If you have any information which could assist the police with their investigation please contact the Non Emergency number 101 and leave a message for the Oxford Burglary team.

How to report ASB (antisocial behaviour)

There have been a number of posts on the Headington and Marston Forum about how to report concerns about anti-social behaviour, often referred to as ASB.

There are a number of agencies dealing with ASB, and it is sometimes difficult to work out which agency to complain to.

Anti-social behaviour is behaviour or behaviours likely to cause nuisance, annoyance, alarm, harassment or distress to one or more people not of the same household as the perpetrator.

If you want to find out whether an incident would be classed as ASB, take a look at this City Council web page This page explains how quickly you can expect a City Council response to complaints about different types of ASB.

The City Council’s Community Wardens can provide a same day response to incidents of anti-social behaviour reported by local residents. They have a CCTV-enabled vehicle which enables wardens to video ongoing incidents. You can report an incident online here or ring the Oxford City Council customer services number on 01865 249811.

Noise nuisance

If you have a noise complaint, report it to Oxford City Council using the form on the website or by telephoning Oxford City Council on 01865 249811

Thames Valley Police

TVP has a web page that gives the answers to frequently asked questions about ASB, you can find it here.

They hold Have Your Say and Coffee with Cops meetings, at which you can discuss any concerns you may have about ASB in the Headington area from the Green Road roundabout down to Gipsy Lane and Divinity Road. The details of the next meeting is as follows:

Type: Have Your Say Meeting
Date: Tuesday, 10 April 2012
Time: 11:00 – 12:00
Venue: Gipsy Lane Reception, Gipsy Lane, Oxford Brookes

The Headington Neighbourhood Police website can be found here.  It shows photos and gives the names of our local neighbourhood team.

The TVP site gives information on what you can do to stop anti-social behaviour here.

In trying to collate all this information, it has become evident that there is some blurring of responsibilities over tackling ASB and also some confusion about how to report it. Ruth is contacting the Safer Communities Manager at the City Council for clarity on this. If you have reported ASB in the Headington Ward and have not received a response from the agency you contacted, please contact David or Ruth and we shall follow it up for you.

Coffee with Cops!

Come and grab a FREE coffee with the Headington Neighbourhood Policing Team at Café Bonjour, London Road, Headington and talk to them about any concerns in your community whilst meeting:

  • Thames Valley Police Burglary Team
  • Thames Valley Police Crime Reduction Officer
  • Local Neighbourhood Watch
  • Other Local Businesses
  • Plus other key individuals in your community!

Date: Wednesday 7 December

Time: 11 am till 1 pm

Place: Cafe Bonjour, London Road, Headington

New non-emergency Police number

The Thames Valley Police new non-emergency number 101 goes live today 14th November 2011. This will replace the 0845 8 505 505 number in time.

Both numbers will run side by side until the end of March, but if demand for the 0845 8 505 505 number drops it may be discontinued earlier.
Calls to 101 (from both landlines and mobile networks) cost 15 pence per call, no matter what time of day the call is made, or the duration of the call.

Everyone calling the police for non-emergency matters will now know exactly how much a call will cost them, and can be assured of equal access whether they are on a pay-as-you-go mobile or a home landline.

Trick or treat window posters

In readiness for Halloween on Monday 31st October the Neighbourhood Watch office has a stock of “No Trick or Treat” window posters which can be displayed in your home if you do not wish to be disturbed by these celebrations.

If you would like a small supply of these posters for yourself or your neighbourhood they are available to collect from the front counter at your local police station.

You can also download the PDF from the Thames Valley Police web site