My Neighbourhood Watch - Issue 1 - June 18th 2008
WE HAVE LIFT-OFF!
This week marks the dawn of a new age of Neighbourhood Watch communication.
The Neighbourhood and Home Watch network is launched across the nation with a brief to keep an eye on crime and crime fighting on our home front.
With the backing of the police and Home Office we will keep you up to speed on developments both locally and nationally via a constantly-updated website and regular newletters.
Our launch has been deliberately timed to coincide with 2008's Neighbourhood and Home Watch Week which runs from June 16.
Here's Marion Lewis, chair of Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network (England and Wales) to explain the background to the Week:
"June 16th 2008 is the start of the Neighbourhood & Home Watch Week across England & Wales. On that day the new representative body the Neighbourhood & Home Watch Network, will be launching the new official Neighbourhood & Home Watch website for ALL Watch members across England & Wales.
This new website will focus on the traditional roles of the Watch movement and it will also provide a national platform from which we can focus on taking Neighbourhood and Home Watch and the wider Watch movement onto its next challenge.
This challenge is for the Watch movement to embrace the Neighbourhood Policing agenda and continue to provide the Police with a ready made structure with which to develop the local consultation, engagement and problem solving required to deliver not only crime prevention but public reassurance.
Marion Lewis
Chair – NHWN
Neighbourhood & Homewatch Network (England & Wales)"
What is the "Neighbourhood & Home Watch Network"?
Neighbourhood & Home Watch Network (NHWN) is the name for the recently established group of Regional Neighbourhood & Home Watch representatives meeting at national level from across England & Wales. The groups’ Terms of Reference may be found elsewhere on the site, but readers may be interested to hear how the group came to be.
During the later months of 2006, Hertfordshire Chief Constable Frank Whiteley, (Neighbourhood Watch lead for the Association of Chief Police Officers – ACPO) was becoming increasingly concerned that Neighbourhood Watch, as a result of the demise of the National Neighbourhood Watch Association earlier in the year, lacked any representation or presence at national level. To try to resolve this situation, he set up a team to look at how the grassroots Neighbourhood Watch members themselves wanted to see such representation and ex-Chief Supt Mark Custerson was appointed to lead the team.
Symposiums
Mark initiated a series of exploratory meetings in each region, involving wherever possible representatives of Neighbourhood Watch at both force and regional levels. These meetings led in early 2007, to three symposia in the South East, in the West Midlands, and in the North West, to which every Constabulary was invited to send up to seven watch representatives from their respective areas. Granted that this may not be entirely “democratic”, but one may ask how better it could have been done?
At the symposia, delegates were invited to discuss and to vote on their preferred way to achieve a new form of representation at the national level for England & Wales.
Significantly NHW Members representing all 10 Regions at the symposia agreed in principle and overwhelmingly that:
a) they wanted to see a Regional and National structure,
b) they wanted a Force NHW representative to go to Regional meetings,
c) they wanted a regional NHW representative and a deputy to go to national meetings (the full details of the outcome of the symposiums is available at (xx another link? xx).
A Mandate for Action
Armed with this strong mandate, a proposal was put to the April meeting of the National Strategy Group for Watch Issues, when it was unanimously accepted, and arrangements were initiated for an inaugural meeting of the Regional representatives. In the meantime Regional NHW organisations were invited to elect their representatives and a date of mid July was agreed for the first meeting.
The rest is history, and may be read in the minutes of meetings held since July 2007.
LAUNCH OF NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH WEEK AND NEW WEBSITE
Doorstep crime, anti-social behaviour and engaging young people will be the key areas of focus for the second national Neighbourhood Watch Week.
On Monday, Vernon Coaker launched a brand new Neighbourhood Watch website and a volunteers’ toolkit, jointly funded by the Home Office and Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). The toolkit is designed to provide support, training and guidance for around four million UK households that are members of a Neighbourhood Watch scheme.
Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said:
"I have seen first hand that impressive results follow when local people join together with the police and other partners to fight crime. The Neighbourhood Watch movement plays an absolutely crucial role in strengthening these local crime fighting partnerships and I am delighted to offer my support as the week of action gets underway.
"Whilst Neighbourhood Watch is thriving in some communities, I want the website and online toolkit to help Neighbourhood Watch members make their neighbourhoods feel safer everywhere. Everyone involved deserves congratulations and I look forward to seeing positive results over the next 12 months."
ACPO lead on Neighbourhood Watch Chief Constable Frank Whiteley said:
"Neighbourhood and Home Watch remains the largest voluntary organisation in the country. It has a major role to play in reducing crime, fear of crime and bringing communities closer together.
"Neighbourhood Watch week offers an ideal opportunity to highlight the good work done by Neighbourhood Watch and to encourage others to get involved in a practical way that will make a difference to their local community."
The Chair of the Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network, Marion Lewis, said:
"Millions of households are part of Neighbourhood and Home Watch. Schemes exist in cities, towns, and villages across the country, and we know that three-quarters of people who are not members would join a scheme if there was one where they lived. We want to see Neighbourhood Watch spread to new places and involve new people. Neighbourhood Watch Week provides us with the opportunity to highlight the benefits and remind people about the impact they can have on the safety of their own street when they come together as neighbours. Further information can now be found on the new national website : www.mynhw.co.uk."
As part of Neighbourhood Watch Week, which runs from 16-20 June, local and regional meetings and events are taking place across England and Wales. The events are designed to involve local people in the movement’s aims and to provide advice and guidance on specific local issues.
Justice system 'must change'
Major changes are needed to restore public confidence in the criminal justice system in England and Wales, a year-long review has concluded.
Chair of NHWN Marion Lewis was at Downing Street yesterday, 17th June and met the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary to discuss the views of Neighbourhood Watch members from across the country who were invited to ‘have their say’ and to give their opinions on the criminal justice system and contribute towards a Cabinet Office review written by the government's crime and communities adviser Louise Casey.
The Casey Review concludes that people do not believe crime has fallen and think the law is stacked in favour of offenders' rights and that the justice system is currently seen as "distant, unaccountable and unanswerable. It makes 32 proposals to tackle this, including:
- Community sentences become more "visible and demanding".
- Elderly victims of crime may get anonymity in court, with similar special measures for disabled victims and people who fear they will face reprisals for speaking up.
- More information on the outcomes of court cases and the punishments offenders serve.
- It suggests the government should consider contracting out enforcement of community work from the probation service.
- Standardised powers for police community support officers.
- Stripping the Home Office of responsibility for producing national crime statistics, with the task handed to an independent organisation instead.
- Citizens should be trained and equipped to play a stronger role in tackling crime.
The report also highlights the need for a "public commissioner on crime" to champion people's concerns within government, and a new performance target to measure public confidence in the system.
Further Information:
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/crime
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7460456.stm
HAND TO MOUTH
Harborough District Community Safety Partnership is pleased to announce they will be setting up a world record of the LONGEST HANDSHAKE IN THE WORLD a Guiness Book of Records challenge.
The Partnership has the responsibilty to maintain safer and stronger communities for the benefit of local communities, the Partnership is also asked to engage local people more. The record setting will be held at 3pm for 1 hour Saturday 21st June 2008 in Welland Park, Market Harborough and will be at the end of National Neighbourhood Watch Week.
Most people have neighbours but do they talk to each other?
Our fast moving society oftens means people do not have time to speak and say hello and yet it is often the neighbours who come to help before any one else when there is an emeregncy at home.
Everyone should at least know who their neighbours are, helping each other out, looking out for an older neighbour and keeping a look out for everyone's safety can build a good strong and more confident community.
Why not try it today, go on say hello to your neighbour!
In celebration of one of the most effective national community structures Neighbourhood Watch is an excellant opportunity for residents to make a difference by coming together.
Take part in the longest handshake record setting on Saturday 21st June, 3pm at Welland Park.
- The current record holder are the Japanese with over 31 thousand handshakes by two men.
- There are no other records kept by the Guiness Book of Records –
- The Partnership will need at least 100 local people to make the record. ( over 18 only)
For further information please contact Alan Paul: a.paul@harborough.gov.uk or Marion Lewis at mhnwsg@ntlworld.com
Outstanding Service
One of the driving forces behind the new website and newletter, Dennis Cooper of Angel Business Communications, has just received an award for Outstanding Services to Neighbourhood Watch from Hertfordshire Police Authority.
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