A brief report on the Maidstone/Malling Police and the Eastern Parish Councils Forum that was held on

5th June 2003 at 19-30 in Boughton Malherbe Hall.

 

(1) The Chairman opened the meeting, that was well attended, and the minutes of the previous meeting were agreed.

 

(2) Matters arising from those minutes were (1) (CCTV) The M/M police will be shortly introducing a new CCTV package that will be offered to the Parishes. More information will be forthcoming from the police on this project.

 

(3) (Hare coursing). The Parishes reported it and the police that nuisance of hare coursing was now quiet due to the crops getting established, but the problem would no doubt return in the autumn months. The police will then step up their patrols in the autumn to combat this.

 

(4) (News from the police). It was reported that Sgt. Winget would be taking over as the Sgt. of the R.T.F. A second RTF consisting of Special constables, the exact number of Special Constables who form this second unit is still unknown; but will start almost immediately.  The M/M police are now carrying out recruitment for up to another 29 Special Constables.

 

(5) (Specific Parish Problems). Lenham Parish reported problems to the last Quarterly meeting were (1) Speeding throughout the Village and (2) High noise levels in the High Street on Friday and Saturday nights. There was no report on the speeding concerns, but PC Knight patrols the High Street on the requested days and times every other week. SPP for the next meeting from Lenham was the speeding of motorcycles in the village between the times of 20-00hrs. -22-00hrs.

 

(6) (Quarterly crime reports for the individual inclusive Parishes). PC Knight reported that unfortunately he had no quarterly reports as there had been trouble collating the report.

 

(7) (A.O.B.)  

 

(7.1) A long debate over the new introduction of police community support officers., and the best way for the Parishes to raise the half  funding that is required by the police if they would like one. There were many options put forward, and a greater debate on this subject will have to take place in the not too distant future, for all interested parties within the Eastern Parishes. The bid for such an officer will have to be submitted by the end of the year to Sup.Int. Gent.

 

(7.2)( Rural Wardens). The new Rural Wardens role and line of communication was discussed at some length. It was reported that their first line of communication would be to Co–ordinators like PC Knight and then to Sgt. Winget. The Rural Warden will be asked if they would like to take part in the quarterly meetings.

(7.3) (Speeding along the A20 through the Parishes of Harrietsham and Lenham). Again a long discussion on how to alleviate the problem. Harrietsham Council enquired about the effectiveness of local volunteers, using police equipment to deter the speeders. Sgt. Winget pointed out those insurance problems, and being able to gain any convictions from this form of project, put it as a non-starter. He also pointed out that the designing out of the problem was the new way the police were tackling the problem, along with the local Highways Authorities. PC Howland was the Officer was in charge of this department and could be contacted through the main switchboard at the police HQ, for those Parishes inquiring about road layouts. The police have found that by parking their marked police cars at the side of the road, in areas that have a speeding problem is a greater deterrent than actual officers out on the roads with radar guns. The officers can then have a dual role in the community, by also investigating local problems. SIDS have played a great role in reducing speeding in sensitive areas, and the police have a portable version of this system that can be deployed, in areas that suffer from the speeding problem.

(7.4) (The use of-off road vehicles along the Pilgrims way). It was reported that under sec. 59 of the Road Traffic Act, those using such vehicles in a proven dangerous manner can now, after a first warning, have their vehicles confiscated by the police. They would then have to contact the police and pay a fee to reclaim their vehicle.

(7.5) Inspt. Wyatt announced that he would be leaving the M/M  police force shortly, and is moving on to the Ashford policing area, so this would be his last meeting with us. He assured all that a new Inspector would be taking his place in the running of the Rural Task Force. All those attending the meeting wished all the best at his new post.

 

(8) (The date and the venue of the next scheduled meeting were agreed). Thursday 25^th. September 03 commencing at 19-30hrs and the proposed venue, subject to availability, the Dog & Bear Function Room Lenham.