Archive

March 28th 2024

Police Meeting

Councillor Phil Bateman reported to the Ashmore Park Police Liaison Committee on a number of items. He said “there has been a lot going on since we last met. There has been a meeting called by Walsall MBC that I attended with residents of Coppice Farm and PC Nash of Wednesfield Police.

The meeting focussed on the problems of Coppice Farm and the green walkways and recreational space that divides the two Authorities. Also the anti social behaviour that takes place and the illicit drinking.

A number of proposals were made which included joint working between Walsall and Wolverhampton to tackle these common problems and that Walsall were considering introducing an alcohol ban onto their part of Coppice Farm open space.

That all the shops on Ashmore Park and the shopping Centre on Essington Road New Invention had been visited by police and officials warning against the selling of alcohol to under age young people.

That another meeting has been arranged by Walsall and that some cross boundary co-operation between the officials of both Councils are taking place now.

I am pleased that Wolverhampton Community Safety Partnership has taken such an interest in the problems of the estate and Coppice Farm the
fact that they are suggesting a community safety audit is a very welcome development.

I am however concerned that there appears to be a lack of information in various Council department about the scale of the difficulties that the anti social behaviour is having. The Community Safety Partnership believes that diary and information sheets filled in by residents and submitted may provide better quality information so that the Authorities can act quickly.

I do however want to end with a warning. We do have a problem with anti social behaviour in this Ward as we all know. But I want to put this into perspective. We are 19th in a league table of 20 Wards when it comes to a crime league. We do have a very low crime rate. Especially on the key crime indicators of Robbery, Burglary and Street Crimes.

We really do need to balance the problemswe have against the bigger picture, and not talk down our neighbourhood. We are all doing all we can in an effort to make it an even better place to live. Let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater!

Wednesfield really is a good location to live have fun and to learn.”


Author: Phil Bateman

Article Date: 10th December 2003