Have your say on making Hailsham a safer place
What can be done to make Hailsham a safer place for everyone who lives there? The town's newly formed Local Action Team is asking residents to come forward with their views and suggestions for reducing incidents of anti social behaviour and nuisance.
But it won't be just talking. Through the Safer Wealden Partnership, Sussex Police Authority has made £10,000 available to help Wealden communities specifically fight anti-social behaviour. Further support is expected from the Home Office to back communities like Hailsham.
"By working together we can identify causes of trouble in Hailsham and do something about them," explained Chief Inspector Rex Matthews, District Commander of Wealden Police and Chairman of the Safer Wealden Partnership. "The vandalism and tension that can occur in local communities often comes down to boredom, a lack of supervision and shortage of places to meet. These are challenges we can do something about."
The consultation will take place in Hailsham Community Hall on:
on Saturday July 23 from 10am - 4pm and
Wednesday July 27 from 5.30pm - 8pm.
"We are holding two public sessions and we want to hear from residents, local businesses and young people about the problems the town faces and what can be done to make Hailsham a safer place for everyone," said Councillor Geoff Rowe Chair of Hailsham Local Action team. "We want to keep the sessions as informal as possible. You won't have to speak out at a public meeting. Just come along and record problems and possible solutions.
"Once we have clearly identified what the causes of the problem are, we can start to do something about them by working closely with the law enforcement organisations, local councils and with other groups who provide facilities in the town."
Hailsham's Local Action Team is being set up with support from Hailsham Town Council and the Safer Wealden Partnership. Local Action teams have already been set up in other communities in Wealden and East Sussex. They usually involve a wide range of local groups including the Neighbourhood Watch, youth clubs and church groups. They work alongside Sussex Police's Neighbourhood Policing Teams and can tackle a wide range of community concerns including vandalism, yobbish behaviour and speeding traffic.
Each looks for its own individual answers to anti-social behaviour rather than rely on expectations of a "one size fits all" solution.
Wealden residents who want to find out more about how Local Action Teams can help in their communities should contact the Safer Wealden Partnership's Community Safety Co-ordinator Neil Banks on 01892 602746.
