The Gate

Safer Neighbourhoods Panel make progress

The Safer Neighbourhoods Panel had its second meeting last Thursday (17th March 2006). The purpose of the Panel is to give residents a greater say over community safety decisions in the New Cross Gate area. The idea for the Panel came from the Metropolitan Police, who also organise the meetings. Though the area is served well by community safety services - it has a Police Seargent, 2 Beat Police Officers, 4 Police Community Support Officers, 12 Wardens as well as a number of other measures such as CCTV - residents are often best placed to pinpoint crime and community safety issues.

The meetings occur bi-monthly have representatives from the area's 6 Tenant Associations as well as other local residents, the NDC, Police, Wardens and the Council Crime Reduction Team. At their first meeting in January 2006, local residents Dorian Williams and Mel Couldwell were elected as Chair and Vice-Chair respectively.

At the meeting on Thursday, the Police reported the good news that the shop on the corner of Camplin St and Egmont Rd (pictured), long-rumoured to be a selling place for drugs, has finally been closed down by its landlord, who also intends to sell the premises. This is due to a sustained effort on the Police's part to put pressure on the shop's owner to take responsibility for what was happening there.

There was also a discussion about street drinking in the area and the nuisance and intimidation this has been causing residents. Gerry (Head Warden) also noted that there had been some incidences of squatting in the decanted housing on Briant St. Finally, Maggie Gardiner from the Council's anti-social behaviour team gave a presentation on their work and how it will impact on some of the areas discussed.

The next meeting takes place on 11th May 2006, at Hatfield Close, starting at 7.30pm.