New


downsmail.co.uk Watch ‘needs more volunteers’


MAIDSTONE and District NeighbourhoodWatch Association could be disbanded if more volun- teers do not come forward.


The scheme, which has been run-


ning since the 1980s, provides crime and safety awareness and ad- vice throughout the borough. There are currently 485 coordina-


tors who disseminate information to 14,000 households – yet the group’s committee is consistently unable to make decisions on strat- egy because of too few members. Due to departures in late 2014 the committee has spent the past year with a total of five members, the minimum needed for meetings to be quorate. Despite the best efforts of chairman JimWilson, no one has come forward to sit on the commit- tee.


He said:“We can’t be sure that all


five members will turn up for meet- ings; when they don’t, we cannot make decisions, which causes prob- lems with the police becausewe are not being represented properly. “We are like a ship without a rudder. You need numbers to have


proper dialogue, discussions and to agree on strategy.” Jim (pictured) says the organisa-


tion will grind to a halt in its cur- rent form because there is not enough man- power


to


monitor coor- dinators’ de- tails or for the authority to target areas, many urban, not yet cov- ered


by


Neighbour- hoodWatch. He needs at


least six people: a treasurer, secre- tary, database manager, products manager (dealing with purchasing and selling), website manager and anyone else prepared to give up two hours for meetings on the last Wednesday of every month. Should the group be forced to


close, it would be likely to amalga- mate with West Kent Neighbour- hood Watch and thus lose its independence. Jim said: “By keep- ing it local we know the area, where the problems are and what needs more attention. “We are trawling the same pool


for the same fish; the same person who volunteers joins a lot of the same organisations. Unfortunately they are getting old and less mo- bile.We are not getting young peo- ple interested. Society has changed and people’s time is much more limited.”


Neighbourhood Watch is strug-


gling to become established in some urban areas in Maidstone. Jim added: “In the past we used to have residents’ associations, butwe have very few of them now. “Neighbourhood Watch brings


the community together; neigh- bours get to know each other as well as problems such as burglaries


and anti-social behaviour at regu- lar meetings. “The coordinator receives crime messages covering a particular area from police on a regular basis. It brings people together and rein- forces the need to help vulnerable people. “In many places you have elderly people living by themselves, and if they know there is a system where people will look in and help them it will give peace of mind – espe- cially as there are more and more frauds and scams taking place at the moment.” Supt Phil Hibben, deputy com- mander for West Kent Police, told the Neighbourhood Watch AGM that coordinators are the eyes and ears of the community, providing vital communication, community reassurance and support. Anyone who would like to join


the committee should call Jim on 01622 693346.


Online crime ‘needs new approach’ Annual award


POLICE inWest Kent are evolving their approach todeal with increases in online fraud, phone scams and rogue traders. Supt Phil Hibben, deputy com- mander for West Kent Police, told the Maidstone and District Neigh- bourhood Watch annual meeting: “We have traditionally dealt with crimes such as burglaries but the newchallenge is the online criminal. “For many generations we have focused on the same crime types but nowwe are having to look at evolv- ing crime types. “We need to identify vulnerable victims and work with trading stan- dards.We need to get the message out to families and the elderly who


may have been victims of phone scams “Everyone has to take responsibil-


ity for protecting vulnerable people. “Please continue with what you


are doing as an association and evolve aswe are trying to evolve.” Supt Hibben said there were four


main areas in which crimewas caus- ing a concern in Maidstone: Seasonal burglaries From Octo- ber to the New Year burglaries are higher than the rest of the year. Several arrests have taken place as part of Operation Castle. Theft of tools from vans “This has been going on for a while now. It is about protecting tradespeople’s livelihoods; they might go out of


business if their goods are stolen and some struggle to get insurance because of the risks.” Theft of cars Therewas a partic- ular spike in thefts of Land Rover Defender vehicles due to them no longer being in production. Stolen vehicles are sold off in Britain and abroad. Theft of mobile phones The new Iphone 6 is a particular target. Those who are out socialisingwere warned to be vigilant. Supt Hibben also announced that


the borough of Ashford would join the West Kent Division in 2016. “I get more staff and more responsi- bility to deal with criminality,” he said.


Wilsons sell No to homes scheme


off property A COUPLE from Boughton Monchelsea, who have been branded Britain’s biggest buy- to-let landlords, have moved out of the property market. It is understood that Fergus


and JudithWilson, from Heath Road, have sold their entire portfolio of rental properties – thought to number nearly 1,000 – for more than £250 million to a foreign consortium. Mr and Mrs Wilson indi-


cated last year that they in- tended selling up and Fergus revealed he hoped to retire to write children’s books.


24


A PROPOSAL to build 10 homes on the site of a commercial estate near Staplehurst has been refused. Officers from Maidstone Council


urged the planning committee to accept a scheme that included a re- placement home for Woodford Coach House in Maidstone Road. But councillors thought other-


wise, refusing the scheme to pro- tect the rural land north of the railway line from development and retain employment use. They also cited a lack of sustainability due to inadequate footpath access to the village centre. Cllr Tony Harwood said: “We


have sought to prevent intensifica- tion of development north of Sta- plehurst.


Maidstone South January 2016 “If itwas one or two houses – and


we have had conversions of one house here or there – then it would be a different matter. But this would introduce a new settlement of a scale and intensity out of keep- ing with the landscape character of the surroundings of the Maidstone Road and would create an incon- gruous and jarring feature.” Staplehurst Parish Council also


raised an objection due to the site’s omission from its neighbourhood plan.


Officers felt the scheme should


have been accepted due to the land being brownfield, as it contained a builders’ yard, car showroom and business selling double-glazed windows.


A BARMING woman who pro- duced her own guidance docu- ment for local Neighbourhood Watch coordinators has won an annual award. Heather Coppock, of South


Street, was named Neighbour- hood Watch Co- ordinator of the Year. The free- lance manage- ment trainer created a book- let to help coor- dinators in their


duties and encourage them to net- work. She hopes to attract funding to run training sessions using the principles of the document.


Driver banned AN East Farleigh man has been banned from driving for two-and-a- half years and ordered to do 120 hours of community work. Matthew Gentile (41), from Dean


Street, was sentenced at Mid Kent Magistrates’ Court for failing to pro- vide a breath test after being stopped in Maidstone.Hemust also pay £150 criminal courts charges, £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.


Kissing gate gift


WALKERSand the parish council in Headcorn have farmerWilliam Day to thank for making it easier to ac- cess Parsonage Meadow from the church. Headcorn Parish Council, which owns the community open space, thanked Mr Day, of Tong Farm, for providing a kissing gate.


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