Happy New Year I have taken a break from blogging over the Christmas period, but now I am refreshed and back to blog. There has been much made in Swindon by Political Spin Meisters that the government financial grant settlement for Swindon is somehow not as bad as feared. That is fine if some want people to believe that spin or want us all to think that the Tory led government, has given us millions of pounds worth of cuts as an act of kindness! I do not swallow that for one minute and  in fact I fear it, because it is a like a row of dominoes each falling over as one is  hit by the other.  It is more like an accumulator bet except the payoff is a massive loss to ordinary families. They are bearing the brunt of the banking crisis and the bankers and the super rich are still comfortable.

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The Broadgreen Community Police arranged an Empowerment Day on Wednesday 12^th May. This was an opportunity for Local Labour Councillors to go into the area with a Police Officer or Community Support officer to help address local issues. The plan was to intervene and take enforcement action to tackle such issues as Street Drinking or Anti-Social Behaviour.

Police in company with Swindon Borough Council (SBC) Environmental Health Officers, Swindon Commercial Services (SCS), HM Courts Warrant officers, SBC Cluster Assistants, Trading Standards and local Labour councillors took part.  Below are the results of the action:

• SCS cleared 5 locations that had been identified as fly tipping areas.
• Environmental Officers knocked and served notices at 5 addresses and found evidence at 8 other locations of fly tipping that will be investigated, served 4 follow up notices that will require formal; interviews of offenders.
• Police issued 3 Fixed Penalty Notices to vehicles causing obstructions in ally ways.
• Police arrested one male for the supply of class ‘A’ drugs.
• HM Courts warrant officer attended 11 addresses resulting in 6 positive warrants.
• Cluster assistants attended numerous addresses in the area to conduct a survey of people’s fear of crime in the area.

Cllr Bob Wright

Photo: Community Police Support Officer – iStockPhotos

( Police Community Support Officers were introduced in the England and Wales by the Police Reform Act 2002. PCSOs, as they are known assist neighbourhood police teams with environmental disorder and low level anti-social behaviour, including such duties as high visibility street patrolling, tackling anti-social behaviour, dealing with minor offences, gathering intelligence and supporting front-line policing)