Safer South Gloucestershire's eighth week of action since 2007 brings together officers from the partnership including police, South Gloucestershire Council and Avon Fire & Rescue Service to talk with residents about their concerns and how they can work together to improve their quality of life.
The week runs from Monday May 11 until the Hanham Fayre on Saturday May 16 2009. Highlights include:
• Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and officers from Safer South Gloucestershire and Avon Fire & Rescue Service will be out and about in Hanham High Street on Wednesday, outside the schools and going door-to-door to talk to people about the issues they face.
• Police will be at the Gallagher Retail Park to tackle nuisance drivers on Thursday. There have been problems at the site with inconsiderate driving, littering and noise nuisance from revving engines and pounding stereos. Officers will be checking that modified vehicles still comply with the law and warning drivers they face having their car seized by police if stereos are being played too loudly, engines are revved, they drive without due care and attention or for speeding. If the release fee is not paid within the time limit, the car could even be crushed.
• High-visibility patrols on Friday involving Special Constables and the horses as well as regular district officers in Hanham and at Aspects Leisure Centre to tackle anti-social behaviour - including monitoring of the CCTV systems.
• At Hanham Fayre on Saturday, there will be an Avon Fire & Rescue Service fire engine and chip pan fire display. Police officers and PCSOs will be staffing a community safety display.
• Saturday will also see police running a special operation at Aspects Leisure Centre to ensure moped riders (who are among the more vulnerable on our roads) stay safe and understand the impact of anti-social vehicle use on communities. This operation involves Avon and Somerset Constabulary's specialist Road Policing Unit and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) who will stop mopeds and test them for road worthiness.
• Throughout the week, council parking attendants will patrol areas where people have complained of parking problems. There will also be a week-long graffiti amnesty, with residents able to have graffiti removed free of charge by the Council's Streetcare team.
Safer South Gloucestershire anti-social behaviour manager Philippa Isbell said: "Hanham week of action is all about working with our partners and within the community to help Hanham residents be safe and feel safe."
Hanham Neighbourhood Sergeant Rachael Hodges said: "This is a really great opportunity for the Neighbourhood Team to work with all our partners to tackle those issues that really impact on the community like graffiti, nuisance vehicles, nuisance parking and anti-social behaviour.
"On Wednesday PCSOs and Safer South Gloucestershire representatives will be working together talking to people on the streets and in their homes about local issues. I hope people will make the time to talk – we need to know what's bothering them so we can all work together to make Hanham safer and stronger."
Stuart Matthews, Avon Fire & Rescue Service's Community Safety Officer for South Gloucestershire said: "We're looking forward to playing an active role in the events taking place during week, which will provide people with a great chance to find out more about a wide range of safety issues that affect them, including fire safety.
Although all the agencies involved play very different roles, at the root, our aims are same – to make local communities a better, safer place for people to live and work in."
Safer South Gloucestershire and its partners rely heavily on the local community to report any incidents of anti-social behaviour, crime or arson. Please call them in confidence on 01454 868582 (anti-social behaviour reporting), contact police on 0845 456 7000 or ring the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
To report abandoned vehicles call the Car Clear number 08000 835 115.
ENDS