Update

28 November 2008

The first meeting of the panel was held at Petworth Police Station on Wednesday 26th November. The turnout from the local villages covered by the panel was disappointing. However our Neighbourhood Policing Team have agreed to look at the traffic and safety problems arising on school mornings outside the school in Plaistow.

The panel will meet again at the end of January, possibly in Ifold, when it is hoped much more interest will be taken by local people. Anyone interested in attending the panel to discuss policing priorities in the area can contact Sergeant Rob Knight at Petworth Police Station (0845 6070999 ext 11873 or by e-mail)

Story

A new Policing initiative is being launched in Plaistow, Ifold and all the surrounding villages, which is aimed at bring the Police and the public closer together to establish priorities for local policing.

The Midhurst and Petworth Neighbourhood Specialist Team (NST) is continuing to focus on their work within the community and part of this focus is to set up a Neighbourhood Management Forum or Neighbourhood Panel in each Ward of the Chichester Police District.

Communities need to be involved to get the most out of the initiative

The key to the success of the Forum is Community Consultation. Each forum is to be made up of local people, who will assess the different concerns requiring police (or partnership agency) involvement. The problems will be identified through engagement with the community and analysis of the concerns raised, therefore establishing priorities for policing in the Neighbourhood Policing Area.

Representatives to the Forum will be taken from

• Local Community Champions (identified from the various community engagement activities)
• A District Councillor
• A County Councillor
• A Parish Councillor
• Neighbourhood Ward/Area Co-Ordinator
• Local Business Representative
• Local School Representative
• Youth Club Worker
• Youth Representative from the Youth Club
• Residents’/Tenants’ Association and Local Community Group Representative

It is expected that each Forum will meet every six to eight weeks. This will ensure that the Community Priority Setting is current but will also allow time for the Police and other representatives to take action on the priorities and report back.

If you would like to be involved, you should email PS Rob Knight or PCSO Clair Gamlin, who are both based Petworth Station or call them on 0845 60 70 999.