local panel for local people

This evening I attended the first meeting of the Streatham South Community Panel, at St Bartholomew’s Church Hall. The panel will be scrutinising the work of Streatham South’s new Safer Neighbourhood police team, four of whom were there when I arrived. The police are raring to go.

A very good turnout from residents, with a good spread from across south Streatham and Streatham Vale. As people introduced themselves I was struck by how many had lived in Streatham, and in the same part of Streatham, for upwards of thirty, forty and fifty years.

As a mere Streatham stripling of only eight years standing, I’m proud of the people who have lived here, as they say, for “donkey’s years.” They have a real fund of stories about Streatham as it used to be, coupled in the case of this panel with a desire to take on the criminals and the vandals and make Streatham better for the future. The optimism is infectious and there is a real enthusiasm for police back on the beat. We all had a good discussion about what might be the policing priorities for the ward.

One of the residents expressed a little concern that to be properly representative, there should be some young people coming along to future meetings. Definitely. Getting the cross-section right is something to work on, but the good things are the panel has been delivered by Labour and it’s actually up and running – criminals and ne’er-do-wells beware.


2 Comments »

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Steve said,
Ipswich

Tue, 25 Jul 2006 - 4:40 PM

Glad to hear about your community panels and congratulations on taking Lambeth back. It's a shame that the Liberals and Tories running the Council here don't do much about talking to the community.

John Adams said,
Southwark

Mon, 24 Jul 2006 - 3:49 PM

Community policing has made a huge difference in my area. However I am very disappointed by my local Lib Dem Council.

They just don't want to back up local people and the local police by using the powers the government have given them to crackdown on yobs and anti social behaviour.

Friends of mine in Lambeth always are getting something through their door from their local councillors giving really useful information about how they are working with the police to do what is needed.

Anything in Southwark? Nothing!