Hawkwell Parish Council recently started a trial of a private security company to patrol around the Parish, which includes its Parks and Open Spaces. The trial will last for 3 months’ during which time Council are keen to engage with residents to hear their views/experiences of the trial. A decision will then be made whether to engage the company for a further period.
There have been numerous reports of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) around the Parish and numerous burglaries and damage to vehicles. Over the last few years Council has unfortunately suffered repeated damage to its playground equipment at Magnolia Park, along with continual graffiti to street and park furniture, reports of drug taking and the discovery of drugs paraphernalia.
The Parish Council are extremely supportive of Essex Police and for several years it has subscribed to and set aside a budget for the Police Community Specials initiative with the hope that Hawkwell would have attracted someone for the post. Unfortunately, this has proven to be unsuccessful to date.
Engagement with the security company is not to detract from the importance of the police, it is to try and enhance the parish by having an extra presence, acting as a deterrent to those who might engage in ASB or criminal behaviour. The patrols will operate during the day and night and intelligence gathered will be passed onto the police where appropriate.
S-Type Security has over 15 years of experience, its employees are all regularly trained and hold a SIA Licence as a minimum. They are very approachable and welcome interaction with residents and provide any assistance that might be needed, so it is hoped that residents engage with them if they get the opportunity.
When patrolling in Magnolia Nature Reserve, they will also be encouraging users to abide by the rules which are set out on the signs at the field entrance to the Reserve and in the carpark noticeboard. This is predominantly to ensure the Nature Reserve’s habitat and wildlife are protected and to encourage a harmonious environment for all types of users.
If Council were to pursue a contract after the trial period, the total cost would be approximately £7k per annum, which equates to an average cost of £0.12p a month per household.
The Council looks forward to hearing from residents about this initiative, so please contact us by email info@hawkwellparishcouncil.gov.uk ,by using the website contact form link or by visiting our new Facebook page.
