WEST DOWNS NEWSLETTER

cpc@sussexnhw.org

 West Downs Divisional H.Q.
Centenary House, Durrington Lane
Worthing, West Sussex, BN13 2PQ
0845 60 70999 extn 81214


www.sussexnhw.org

Worthing edition

January 2009
An update on Neighbourhood Watch in your area
The overall position -The last West Downs Watch was produced in the early part of 2008 at a time when we knew there were going to be changes in the way NHW was to be administered but were still in the process of discussing with Sussex Police some of the details.
 These changes came into effect from 1st April as a result of Sussex Police having to find savings of £10m by 2010. The decision was taken that some savings could be found by deleting the Crime Prevention Co-Ordinator posts who had in most instances been dedicated officers looking after NHW. This move fitted in with new emphasis being placed on Community policing and the creation of Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPT).
In acknowledging that NHW had a significant part to play in crime prevention and reducing the fear of crime, Sussex Police drew up plans to transfer the work formerly done by CPC's to their local NPT using Police Community Support Officers (PCSO). The PCSO's work  with the Community and provide a visible presence on the streets. The Police considered that combining this work with that carried out by NHW would fit together well. PCSO's are allocated to specific wards or areas.
Part of the changeover involved getting NHW co-ordinators to confirm their willingness to continue to act and to re-register with the Police under the Data Protection Act. The re-registration also involved co-ordinators requiring the ability to be communicated with by email as this was seen as a cost effective, quick and efficient method of communicating information to several hundreds of members of the community. It was known that a large number of households now had computer capability, this including a good cross section of the community not just the young and it was felt that introducing this method of communication would not create too many problems. As part of their community work PCSO's produce a regular (at least monthly) newsletter highlighting current  issues in their particular areas which can be accessed on the police website or sent directly to co-ordinators. The former Ringmaster computer used by CPC's is being replaced with more sophisticated Equipment which will be a force wide database of NHW membership and more readily accessed by police personnel. This is due to be operational by April 2009
As part of their overall administration of NHW Sussex Police have created a new HQ post of Force NHW Manager who took up the appointment in July. His role is to co-ordinate NHW force wide, to introduce policies that will be consistently applied and to liaise with the Sussex Federation of NHW as well as local Associations .


Latest position in Worthing
The process of getting co-ordinators to re-register brought about a drop of approximately 40% in membership either expressed as co-ordinators or households.  In the past such a process did not have the same effect as in most cases where schemes had become inactive or the co-Ordinator wish to give up someone else was usually found to take over.  Clearly the need to have access to a computer either by the co-Ordinator or a 'buddy' was not the only reason behind this drop and from enquiries made it would seem that co-ordinators and members liked the former style monthly newsletter produced by the CPC and the ability to have a single pint of contact who they knew could be contacted easily was valued.  We are keen to find ways in which lost members can be accommodated within the present arrangements and it is understood the new computer should be able to send not only email messages but also fax's and text messages.  It is also understood that text messages can be sent to not only mobile phone but also land line based phones.  We shall also be pressing for some ability by the PCSO's to deliver hard copies of their newsletter in certain circumstances.  Once details of the re-registered members have been loaded onto the new computer we hope to be able to identify those members lost and to try and re recruit them.  One of the reasons this document is being circulated to all new and former members is to encourage them back into the fold. 
The Executive Committee is looking to recruit a couple of new members as we have recently lost two through retirement.  If you feel you could spare a few hours monthly and are interested in the development of NHW please make yourself known to us.

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