Tune In to Old Woking, Kingfield and Westfield

Old Woking, Kingfield and Westfield

Thursday 3 July 2008

We would like to thank residents for attending the Neighbourhood Improvement Workshop held at Moorcroft, Westfield on Thursday 3 July 2008. We hope you will find this update informative.

So, down to business! Over 50 residents attended and took the opportunity to meet various voluntary groups, including residents' associations.

Also on hand to speak to residents and local people were representatives from Surrey Police, Woking Borough Council, Surrey County Council, Surrey Fire and Rescue and the local Primary Care Trust - the main partners behind the Neighbourhood Management Group who planned the workshop.

When residents entered the hall, everyone was asked to write down the three main issues that they would like to discuss. These were then used to determine the three main topics for the evening's workshops.

• Parking and speeding issues.

• How can we engage with young people?

• Reducing crime.

Since the event

Surrey Police, Neighbourhood Officers (from Woking Borough Council), officers from Surrey County Council, local councillors and local residents groups have been investigating how community groups, relevant agencies and local residents can get involved in addressing these issues.

Parking and speeding issues

Residents raised a number of issues around parking in the area. Rydens Way and Loop Road were identified as priorities. Those in attendance felt the road should be widened or introduce parking restrictions during peak hours of the day to discourage commuter parking in the area. These views have been forwarded to Surrey County Council.

Parking on football match days and on double yellow lines was also raised. Following the meeting, it was confirmed Woking Football Club do provide parking information on their website advising people where they can park safely and responsibly. Woking Borough Council parking attendants have also prioritised the area for enforcement of yellow lines to tackle local parking hotspots.

Speeding vehicles in Westfield Road and Kingfield Road were highlighted as a problem by residents, who requested traffic calming measures to be introduced. Measures suggested included `Slow Down' signs at two specific points along the roads and zebra crossings to enable pedestrians to cross the road safely. These views have been forwarded to Surrey County Council.

Residents also raised concerns about vegetation covering the footpath on Westfield Road. Serco, the Council's environmental maintainance partners, have cut and removed the vegetation and cleared litter in the area.

How can we engage with young people?

Residents raised concerns about antisocial behaviour and how we, as a community, can engage with young people. Residents felt there was a lack of provision and facilities for young people in the area. The community had previously tried to set up youth groups and clubs, but had struggled with finding volunteers. Woking Borough Council is currently looking at ways to help recruit and train volunteers to work with young people.

Parents felt there was a lack of awareness of what activities the Council and other agencies provide for young people. The Council currently produce leaflets and posters advertising forthcoming events and activities in schools and youth clubs, along with dedicated web pages at www.woking.gov.uk . The Council also support Woking Youth Council, which is open to anyone who lives in the Borough and is aged between 13 and 18 years old. For more information, please visit www.wokingyouthcouncil.co.uk

The Council will also look into ways of using text messaging to communication forthcoming events to young people.

Reducing crime

Antisocial behaviour was highlighted as an issue following a fire and vandalism at the Westfield Common play area. Street furniture and play equipment were damaged and had to be repaired or replaced, with new equipment being installed during autumn/winter 2008.

Both Westfield Common and St Peters Recreation Ground were identified as antisocial behaviour hotspots. Details have been passed to Surrey Police.

Ways of combating antisocial behaviour in the area, which the local police and the Council are currently considering include, setting up a Neighbourhood Watch scheme, installing a Multi-Use Games Area, the police to work closely with schools, and creating after-school clubs where young people can learn alternative skills.

Neighbourhood policing

Every defined neighbourhood within the Borough is covered by a Neighbourhood Policing Team. They are made up of a combination of dedicated beat officers (Neighbourhood Specialist Officers - NSOs) and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). These officers work alongside dedicated Woking Borough Council Neighbourhood Officers, whose job it is to help resolve community issues.

Each team works towards reducing crime levels in the area, alongside reducing the fear of crime in the neighbourhood. They achieve this by tackling the problems you identify, promoting community safety and assisting with environmental improvements.

The Safer Neighbourhood Team for Old Woking, Kingfield and Westfield are:

PC Paul May, email 178@surrey.pnn.police.uk

PCSO Andrew Hannant, email 12453@surrey.pnn.police.uk

PCSO Gareth Morgan, email 10509@surrey.pnn.police.uk

You can speak to one of the team by phoning 0845 125 2222.

The team hold regular panel meetings, where priorities for the policing team are set by the residents who attend. The team also hold regular police surgeries, which is your opportunity to speak to a member of the team on a one-on-one basis. To find out more about the dates of panel meetings and surgeries, please contact the Safer Neighbourhood Team, or visit www.surrey.police.uk

Community volunteers

Woking Borough Council is looking for committed residents who are prepared to be contacted to help at any future community events, such as a community clean-up days.

If anyone would like to become a community volunteer, please contact Woking Borough Council's Neighbourhood Officer, Yvette Lanham, on 01483 743475 or email yvette.lanham@woking.gov.uk

A number of actions came out of the meeting which the local Council, the police and the community in general need to address. As far as Yvette Lanham, the Neighbourhood Officers tasks go, there were a few areas to be look at.

 

• Litter in Kingfield Road, this will be monitored by Woking Borough Council and our partners Serco.
• Westfield Road, the overgrowth on the footpath and litter in wooded area has been removed by Serco and residents in the area have informed us they were very pleased with the results. Now this matter has been highlighted with Serco, works will continue to maintain the progress made.
• Newlands Avenue, Campbell Avenue and Quartermaine Avenue were all highlighted as areas where litter is a problem, Serco have now completed works to improve the cleansing and also reviewed the frequency of cleanse for Willow Bank.
• Flooding, an information pack will be distributed to all properties that are affected by flooding within the next month. Should you believe your property may be affected by flooding and you have not received your information pack by the end of October 2008, please contact Woking Borough Council Customer Services on 01483 755855.
• Unwins site, closure of the footpath, all concerns should be directed to Surrey County Council on 08456 009 009.
• The fly tip at Manor Way car park has been removed by Serco.
• The condition of the highway surface in Coniston Road, Winston Way and Fairfax Road is the responsibility of Surrey County Council, all reports have been provided to Surrey County Council. Woking Borough Council in partnership with Serco cleanses the highway and maintains highway vegetation.
• The vandalised street name plates in Campbell Avenue and Balfour Avenue will be replaced in the near future, graffiti on the remaining street name plates has been removed.

 

Evaluation - what have we learnt from the event?

The event and your neighbourhood

We can see that, overall, those who attended are proud to tell people where they live and feel they can turn to neighbours to ask for help. The majority feel that people in their neighbourhood care about their neighbours and just over half of those who completed the evaluation showed that they get involved in community activities and regularly give up time to volunteer in their neighbourhood.

The workshops

Over 73% of those who completed the evaluation said they found the workshops a worthwhile use of their time. Also, 74% stated that they now know where to find information about public services, although only 56% said they are satisfied with the level of service they receive from local agencies.

What's happening now?

For results of the workshops, issues raised from the registration forms and evaluation of the event, please visit this page regularly, as all dedicated officers and organisations are continually adding information as it becomes available.

 

For further information, please contact-

Yvette Lanham, Neighbourhood Officer

Email: yvette.lanham@woking.gov.uk

Phone: 01483 743475