Stockport's Christmas Crime Advice Market Stall

The Safer Stockport Partnership Christmas Market Stall is open for business in the run up to Christmas.

The stall, in the Market Place in Stockport town centre, is staffed by members of Stockport Council’s Community Safety Unit who are providing provide specialist information on how to stay safe over the festive period and the winter. Customers are encouraged to give feedback on their experience of being safe at Christmas. Festive foods are provided free to customers

The key safety messages include tips on how to prepare for a night out and enjoy alcohol without becoming vulnerable. There is also information about how to reduce your chances of becoming a victim of personal robbery, car theft, burglary, loan sharks and house fires. Bus timetables and travel cards will be available plus contact details for local services.

Councillor Mark Weldon, Executive Member for Communities, said: “The Safer Stockport Partnership’s Christmas Market Stall is an excellent way to help make this Christmas one to remember for all the right reasons. Whilst we enjoy ourselves over Christmas and New Year, we need to protect ourselves, each other, and our property”.

The market stall is part of a wider Safer Stockport Partnership Christmas Campaign being run by partner agencies including Greater Manchester Fire Service, Greater Manchester Police and NHS Stockport, and the Council’s Stockport Road Safety Team. Staffed information posts in colleges, community buildings, in Stockport town centre and district centres are promoting 12 tips on how to stay safer this winter.

Residents Urged to Light up During Dark Nights

The Safer Stockport Partnership (SSP) which includes Stockport Council and Police has launched a campaign to encourage residents to light up during the darker nights. 

Criminals frequently target unlit properties and over 80% of domestic burglaries occur during the winter months to properties during hours of darkness.  

Burglars target homes that look empty and defenceless and as part of the campaign the SSP is urging residents to make their homes look occupied in the darker evenings by leaving a light on.   

To help reduce the number of burglaries an advertising van has been travelling around the borough to offer crime prevention advice to residents.  
 
Vulnerable residents will have received a free light timer and residents in areas that were targeted this time last year have received information on how they can keep criminals in the cold including a ‘Home Security Self-Assessment’.

Councillor Mark Weldon, Stockport Council’s Executive Member for Communities, said: “This campaign is about warning and informing residents about how to beat the burglars. By remembering relatively simple things like alarms, locks, and lights they can avoid becoming victims of burglary. This simple three-point message is a reminder to set your alarm, lock all windows and doors and leave a light on or consider fitting a timer switch to your lights or radio when leaving your home.”

Extra police patrols will be on the streets for the next few months as part of the campaign. Also, known offenders will receive letters and personal visits from officers throughout the campaign.

Figures show that even during autumn and winter one in three burglaries are through open or unlocked doors and windows.

'In your Face' - Brinnington Young Women Raise Awareness of Domestic Abuse

Over 400 people attended an event in Brinnington, Stockport, last week to raise awareness of domestic abuse.

Young women from the area shared their experiences and art work by holding a fun, free family event called “In Your Face” outside First House. Activities included mask decorating, face and henna painting, DJ and arts and crafts for the whole family.

People were encouraged to give feedback on the masks and how they made them feel, comment on white ribbons for the ribbon tree, and provide messages on why women or men are strong, and how domestic abuse may affect, or has affected, them.

As part of the project to promote the strengths of women and positive relationships, people were asked to decorate 50 masks which will be put into a collage and displayed at The People’s History Museum in Manchester from 10th March to coincide with International Women’s Day.

This event was funded through the Safer Stockport Partnership, which comprises Stockport Council, the Police and other agencies, ‘You Say, We Pay’, Brinnington Education Achievement Partnership, Stockport Without Abuse, and a Girls Are Strong project by Feminist Webs and ICA:UK sponsored by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

If you or someone you know are suffering from domestic abuse, you do not have to suffer alone or in silence; please contact Stockport Without Abuse on 0161 477 4271 or visit the website on www.stockportdaf.org.uk

Offerton Residents Support 'You say, We Pay'

Over 120 residents attended a ‘You Say, We Pay’ event in Offerton on Saturday (12th November).

The Safer Stockport Partnership event was organised by the Offerton Neighbourhood Management Board which includes Stockport Council, Stockport Homes and Greater Manchester Police.

Held at Dial Park Primary School, the event gave residents the chance to decide how £32,500 should be spent to best improve their community.

Fifteen local community groups gave presentations on what they wanted to use the money for. Through interactive voting, residents decided which projects they thought would benefit their community the most and how much funding they should receive. 

Councillor Dave Goddard, Leader of Stockport Council, said: “‘You Say, We Pay’ events are a great opportunity for people to decide how money should be best spent to have the maximum positive impact on their communities.”   

“The 11 events, including Offerton, have now distributed over £280,000 worth of funding to nearly 190 community groups. They have been attended by over 900 residents who have taken part in voting to allocate the funds.”

This fourth event in Offerton has taken the amount distributed locally to over £114,000.  Funding came from Stockport Council, Stockport Homes, Community Foundation for Greater Manchester, NHS Stockport, and George Bethell Ltd.

Funding was allocated to the following groups:

Offerton Mum’s Group                   £4,500
The Young Mum’s Way                  £2,945
Spider-web Martial Art                     £2,900
Skills and Opportunities                 £2,000
Art with a Heart                                 £1,875
Friends of Offerton                          £3,000
Offerton REAL FC                           £1,875
Dialstone Cheerleaders                 £2,205
Offerton Morris Dancers                 £1,968
Offerton Park F.C.                            £2,250
K:Taekwondo                                   £2,250
Can’t Sing Choir                              £  488
Offerton football Tournament        £  559
Katie’s Yoga                                     £2,253
Aspire Morris Dancers                  £1,714  

Cheadle MP Sees Probation in Action

Stockport Probation hosted a visit from MP Mark Hunter who met staff as part of a mission to learn more about the work of the service.

The representative for Cheadle was invited to learn about what Greater Manchester Probation Trust does in the borough to reduce re-offending and make the community safer.

During his visit, the Liberal Democrat met with staff and managers.

Mr Hunter said: “I am grateful for the opportunity to visit Stockport Probation. It has re-affirmed my belief in the valuable work and services it provides for the long term benefit of the community, especially when offenders are supported to turn away from an offending lifestyle.”

Mohammed Farooq, head of Stockport Probation, was delighted that the
politician took the time to visit probation.

He said: “We discussed a wide range of issues impacting on the criminal justice system and probation. I was greatly impressed by the interest Mr Hunter showed and the talks were extremely productive.

“We took him through what we do from when the offender first gets to court,
to how our staff assess them and write the reports that help guide sentencing and then looked at how we manage offenders on community orders.

“Probation officers explained the process of how we manage risk and very difficult offenders who commit serious offences such as domestic abuse and serious sexual assaults. I think he was struck by the complexity of our work and how demanding it is, both for our offender managers and offenders involved.

“During the visit, Mr Hunter further learned how the probation service has one of the most skilled and highly qualified work forces in the public sector that’s so crucial to supporting accurate assessment of risk in difficult circumstances and then managing these offenders through their demanding sentences of punishment in the community.

Mohammed added: “We also discussed the potential impact of introducing competition in the public sector and probation work. The Trust looks forward to competition with confidence but we stressed it was important to keep certain areas of probation work (such as risk, court work and pre-sentence assessments) in the public sector. This is really important so that our courts are able to enjoy the benefits of high quality assessments and access to impartial advice to support sentencing”.

Stockport probation have cemented links with Mr Hunter and senior management decided after the meeting they would take it in turn to meet up with Mr Hunter once every two months at his surgery to discuss the various developments affecting probation and public protection at Stockport.

Darker Nights

Traditionally burglaries increase as the clocks go back, as criminals love the dark and like to target unlit properties. Stockport Police are encouraging residents to light up as the nights get darker. Which house would you target in the postcard?

Also make sure your windows and doors are secure as one in three burglaries are through open or unlocked doors and windows.  

ASBO Served on Stockport Man

An Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) was obtained on 29th September at Stockport Magistrates Court by Stockport Council against Richard Jackson who has been involved in a number of incidents in Hazel Grove.

The evidence of his behaviour goes back over three years. Mr Jackson, aged 19, has been abusive towards library staff and the public in Stockport libraries on several occasions, and entered libraries despite being banned from them.

Mr Jackson pleaded guilty to two public order offences in 2010 and was convicted of an assault on two Fire Officers. After signing an Acceptable Behaviour Contract after the assault, he breached its conditions with further anti-social behaviour which led the Council to apply for an interim ASBO in June this year.

The Council also applied for legal costs against Mr Jackson for £10,000. It was the first time the Council applied for legal costs in an ASBO trial and the Court agreed an order against Mr Jackson for the full cost.

Councillor Mark Weldon, Executive Member for Communities, said: "This case shows that when an individual chooses to engage in anti-social behaviour causing harm to our communities, our Anti-Social Behaviour Action Team working with Greater Manchester Police (GMP) will use all appropriate powers to stop the behaviour and give our communities the respite they need."

After hearing the Council’s submissions and those of Mr Jackson's solicitors, Judge Qureshi made an ASBO in the terms previously agreed for the interim ASBO, this time for a period of five years. 

The Order includes:

• Not to act in an anti-social manner in particular to named individuals;
• Not to associate with other named individuals within the whole of; Stockport
• Not to enter Hazel Grove other than when being transported (by car, bus etc);
• Not to possess alcohol in public places in Stockport (except for licensed premises);
• Not to intimidate staff at the Spar supermarket on Arundel Avenue nor to approach or intimidate any Stockport library staff;
• Not to intimidate the four named witnesses in the proceedings;

The order will run for a period of five years, and any breach is a criminal offence. If anyone witnesses Mr Jackson breaching his order they can call GMP on 0161 872 5050 or 999 in an emergency.

Stockport Tackles Loan Sharks

A month of action to tackle loan sharks in Stockport takes place in October.

The initiative will be launched in eye-catching style with large banner draped on First House in the Brinnington area of the borough.  The banner will encourage people to report loan sharks by phoning a confidential hotline 0300 555 2222.

The initiative is in response to crimes committed by illegal money lenders and the suffering of their victims, as Councillor Mark Weldon, Executive Member for Communities at Stockport Council explains: "We know from research that illegal money lenders prey on people who are vulnerable due to their financial situation.

"While in the short term the victims’ situation may be helped by the loan, in a very short amount of time the amount they owe the loan shark uncontrollably rises to unachievable amounts and, commonly, the threat of violence and other forms of harassment follow."

The Illegal Money Lending Team - which covers the whole of England - brought the initiative to Stockport and is working with the Council, the Police, Stockport Homes and other agencies. They hope that the month of action will make people more aware of the risks of borrowing money from illegitimate lenders, and encourage them to help plan for their futures by joining Stockport Credit Union which can offer safe loans to established members.   For information about how to join Stockport Credit Union phone 430 5808.

The team has an excellent record of working with the Police and Trading Standards to take enforcement action. There have been 190 prosecutions throughout England.  

Activities taking place during the month include:

• Working with schools to help young people start savings accounts to help secure their futures.
• Training for Council staff and members of the public to help them identify loan shark activities and how to report them.
• Stockport Homes boroughwide mobile roadshow.
• Children to take part in a competition to design a 'report a loan shark' poster.
• Illegal Money Lending Team and the Police to talk in local schools.

Crime Continues to fall in Stockport - July 2011

Delegates attending the ninth annual Safer Stockport Partnership (SSP) conference heard how crime has continued to fall thanks to successful partnership work in the community.

The SSP has delivered sustained crime reduction in Stockport over the past seven years with over 11,000 less victims of crime. Last year anti-social behaviour was reduced by 24% which equates to 4,003 fewer incidents over the year.

Over 250 delegates attended the event from various organisations including councillors, the police, the probation service, schools and representatives from a variety of community groups.

The theme for the conference was ‘Community Co-ownership’. Delegates were given the opportunity to think about new partnerships not just amongst the public sector but a new partnership with the community. The aim being for neighbourhoods to have more control and to be part of the solutions to the issues they raise.

The conference was addressed by Councillor Mark Weldon, Stockport Council’s Executive Member for Communities, and Ged Lucas, Stockport Council’s Deputy Chief Executive and Co-Chair of the Safer Stockport Partnership. 

Other keynote speakers included Mohammed Farooq, Assistant Chief Executive of Greater Manchester Probation Trust (Stockport) and Chief Superintendent Rebekah Sutcliffe.

The event also included interactive workshop sessions on domestic abuse, neighbourhood agreements, restorative justice, payment by results, ‘You Say We Pay’ community engagement events and a visit to the CCTV control room.

Councillor Mark Weldon, said: “The work of the SSP doesn’t stop here and we are certainly not complacent despite the very welcome fall in crime. We are committed to reducing crime even further by working with residents and businesses in Stockport.  We have always been an ambitious partnership and with a proven track record of successful crime reduction behind us. We are confident that together we can deliver further success in future years.” 

Chief Superintendent Rebekah Sutcliffe said: “The SSP Conference is an important date in our calendar as it is the one time in the year when all partners come together to share success, identify areas where we need to improve and focus on the priorities for the forthcoming year. Crime is down in Stockport and every single agency at the conference has helped to achieve this success. We will continue to work with our communities to ensure we continue to put criminals before the courts and further improve the lives of residents across the borough.”
Delegates were also given a presentation from Hayley Bell and Amanda Kinane - members of the Friends of Offerton. The presentation focused on their personal journey and experiences of living in Offerton and how working alongside other agencies has led to real improvements in the lives of Offerton residents.

The Friends of Offerton group brings together individuals from community groups in Offerton, which has increased from 4 to 21 in 18 months.  They have had a significant impact on community safety this year and in recognition of their work the SSP presented them with an ‘Excellence Award’.

Others winners of the SSP ‘Excellence Award’ included children from Werneth High School in Romiley and from St James Roman Catholic School in Cheadle who took part in a project with the Key 103 Alcohol Media Bus creating pod casts warning of the health and social impacts of alcohol. Edward Clough from the Victoria Neighbourhood Watch scheme who recently featured on the ‘Safer in Stockport’ campaign was also recognised for his outstanding contributions to the community.

What is Crimemapper?

Crimemapper is a website which displays local crime information, allowing members of the public to see what is happening in their local area with regards to crime data and anti-social behaviour statistics at a street level.

What crime is displayed on the maps?

The website will display:

• burglary,
• robbery,
• vehicle crime,
• violence,
• other crime,
• and anti-social behaviour.

What do the dots on the map represent?

Each dot marks the approximate location of where a crime or incidence of anti-social behaviour has occurred. To ensure privacy of individuals, incidents of crime or anti-social behaviour are mapped to a point on, or near, the street where it happened, rather than the actual location itself - this is referred to as a ‘safe location’.

Please Note:

Users of the Crimemapper website should be aware when viewing street-level maps, the data published on the website does not necessarily portray exact locations of where the crime occurred.

Members of the public should also be aware that large public spaces such as shopping centres and hospitals do not have crimes allocated to them but they are re-located to the nearest street with 12 or more postal addresses.

How current is the data presented on the maps?

The data and maps are updated monthly with statistics from the previous month. You should expect to see new statistics on the site by the 25th of every month.

How do I view the Crimemapper website?

The address for the Crimemapper website is www.police.uk. Visit this site and type in your postcode to see statistics for your area.

Everybody Needs Good Neighbours

Are you concerned about crime and anti social behaviour in your immediate neighbourhood?  

There is something positive you can do.   

The Neighbourhood Watch scheme in Stockport, supported by the recently launched 'Safer Stockport' programme, is a network for residents to report information to local Police, support each other in the community and follow crime prevention advice - this will reduce the opportunity for crime by making it difficult for the criminal.  

Neighbourhood Watch members go about their normal lives but agree to keep a look out for suspicious persons or vehicles in the neighbourhood.  

Advice from local police is given, and the local Neighbourhood Policing Team will help set up the scheme. Crime prevention advice and details of local crime put you in the picture and there is no restriction on numbers of properties - it can be as few as five or as many as 500, although the average is around 10-20 homes. 

There are over 500 Neighbourhood Watch schemes throughout Stockport, from Marple across to Gatley and Reddish to Bramhall. 

One man who helped set up a Neighbourhood Watch scheme in the Victoria area of Stockport is Edward Clough. Edward says: "The area was experiencing a mixture of anti social behaviour along with damage to cars and property. I heard about Neighbourhood Watch via a flyer from the Neighbourhood Policing Team advertising a meeting. Three households went along, and we then talked to neighbours to see if they were interested. Just 18 months later we have an active scheme with over 60 members, and we support each other through regular meetings, newsletters, alerts and a website. 

"Having an active scheme means that people feel safer in their own homes and the neighbourhood.  It isn’t just about crime it’s about a community" Edward added. 

Councillor Helen Foster-Grime, Executive Member for Communities, said: "In the last 12 months there has been a 27% reduction in burglaries - that's 561 fewer victims. Neighbourhood Watch schemes have played an important role in improving community safety and have encouraged more people to work with their local policing teams. Edward is an excellent example of a resident who has helped to make a real difference in his neighbourhood."  

For more information on Neighbourhood Watch and the ‘Safer Stockport’ initiative visit www.stockport.gov.uk/safer 

If you want to start a scheme, or find out if one exists in your area, contact the Council's Community Safety Unit on 0161 474 3143 or email communitysafetyunit@stockport.gov.uk 

The Council, in partnership with Greater Manchester Police (GMP), launched ‘Safer Stockport’ to show how working together with local communities can help to create safer places in which to live, work and visit.

'You Say, We Pay' in Offerton

Over 60 Offerton residents attended a ‘You Say, We Pay’ event to help decide how £20,000 should be spent to best improve their community.

‘You Say, We Pay', held last weekend at Dial Park Primary School, was organised by the Safer Stockport Partnership which includes Stockport Council and Greater Manchester Police.

Community groups in Offerton were invited to bid for part of the funding to help pay for a project that would benefit the community. A total of 11 groups delivered three-minute presentations on what they wanted to use the money for. Through an interactive voting system, residents decided which projects they thought would benefit their community the most and how much funding they should receive. 

Councillor Helen Foster-Grime, Executive Member for Communities, said: “The ‘You Say, We Pay’ events have been extremely successful and very well attended by members of the community and I would like to thank everybody who attended this event in Offerton. These provide a fantastic opportunity to involve local people in making decisions on spending in their communities. This is our fifth ‘You Say, We Pay’ event in Stockport. The Safer Stockport Partnership has now distributed over £120,000 to 87 Community Groups, with over 500 residents taking part in the voting.”

Sergeant Geoff Machent, from the Stockport East Neighbourhood Policing Team, added: “The event was a huge success.  It is important that local people influence local decisions and the community decided how they wanted the money spent in their area.  We now look forward to furthering relationships and seeing the positive difference the investment make to the area.”

One resident that attended said that the best thing about the event was that it "brings community groups together and allows them to decide how their money should be spent."

The community safety projects awarded funding were:

• Youth Service Crime & Disorder Group - Rock Bus and other activities (£1,935)
• Success Stories at Work - Offerton What’s the Story? (£2,250)
• Offerton Senior Youth Club - Fishing & art project (£875)
• 3rd Offerton Scouts - Purchase of trailer (£768.45)
• Dial Park Allotments - Fencing & Equipment (£768.45)
• Offerton Youth Forum - Community Sports Event (£2150)
• Offerton Women’s Group - Domestic Abuse Conference (£3,000)
• Offerton Mum’s Group - Fun Days for young people (£3,000)
• Searchers - Research project for older people (£1,612.50)
• Educise - Educational sport activities (£1,500)
• Offerton Park FC - Offerton Park Monday Project (£2,140.65)

Funding came from the Home Office, Stockport Council, Stockport Homes, Offerton Estate Community Empowerment Fund, Stockport IMPACT, Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive and Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service.

Police in Stockport tackle Anti-Social Behaviour

Police and the Safer Stockport Partnership have been out in the community cracking down on anti-social behaviour. Officers have been tackling priorities the public have agreed with police and the increased activity ties in with the Home Office’s Not In My Neighbourhood Week campaign, which began on Monday 2 November.

The Stockport East Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT), in conjunction with Trading Standards, visited off-licenses and seized hundreds of bottles of wine for suspicion of not having paid the duty on them.  A fixed penalty notice was also issued to one employee for selling alcohol to under 18 year olds.

The burglary battle bus visited Morrisons in Reddish on two occasions to provide crime prevention advice to shoppers.  The Stockport North NPT and Guinness Northern Counties have also joined forces with the 1st Reddish Brownies to make Stockport cleaner and greener.  ‘Pick and Stick’ will see PSCO John Gallagher join up with the brownies to tackle litter concerns, highlighted by residents, on a monthly basis.

Officers also worked with Stockport Homes to evict a tenant from a property in the area following complaints from other residents.

The Stockport West NPT visited schools where officers gave talks to increase pupils awareness of safety and the dangers and consequences of playing with fireworks.  Firework safety leaflets and posters were also distributed to support this.  

The Stockport Central NPT have worked with shopping centre managers, GVA Grimley and Debenhams to introduce changes to overnight closures to Merseyway car park.  Overnight closures will take place at the car park to stop rallies that are currently taking place where vehicle nuisance, poor standards of driving and anti-social behaviour having a negative impact to the town centre.  

Police and police community support officers also carried out regular high-visibility and covert patrols, to target anti-social behaviour, acting on the feedback that residents have given to their Neighbourhood Policing Teams.

Chief Inspector Andrew Harty, from the Stockport Division of Great Manchester Police said: “Not In My Neighbourhood Week is a perfect opportunity to show what Neighbourhood Policing Teams are doing to tackle the concerns of residents across the borough. Feedback from the pubic is important so if you do have any Neighbourhood Policing concerns or issues please contact Neighbourhood Policing Team or visit one of the regular surgeries or meeting that are held in your area.”

Councillor Sue Derbyshire, Executive Member for Communities, said: “The latest figures show that there has been an 14 per cent decrease in crime across the borough   which is an impressive achievement by the Safer Stockport Partnership. We are all aware that anti-social behaviour can be a great concern to some local communities and Not in My Neighbourhood week presented an ideal opportunity to engage with our communities and make them aware what is being done to tackle local problems and keep them safe”.

Details of surgeries and meetings can be found at :www.gmp.police.uk/stockport  

Stockport Central Neighbourhood Policing Team covering Stockport town Centre, Edgeley and Cheadle Heath
0161 856 5902 / stockport.centralnpt@gmp.police.uk

Stockport North Neighbourhood Policing Team covering Reddish, Brinnington and the Heatons
0161 856 9786 / stockport.northnpt@gmp.police.uk

Stockport East Neighbourhood Policing Team covering Marple, Werneth, Offerton, Hazel Grove and High Lane
0161 856 9973 / stockport.eastnpt@gmp.police.uk

Stockport West Neighbourhood Policing Team covering Adswood, Cheadle, Gatley, Heald Green, Cheadle Hulme, Bramall and Woodford
0161 856 9770 / stockportwestnpt@gmp.police.uk

Only call 999 in an emergency or where there is a threat to life or a crime in progress. To report crime call police on 0161 872 5050 or for more information visit www.gmp.police.uk . You can also call anonymously with information about crime to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.  Crimestoppers is an independent charity who will not want your name, just your information.  Your call will not be traced or recorded and you do not have to go to court or give a statement.

Community Decide how Money is Spent

More than 100 Adswood and Bridgehall residents attended a ‘You Say, We Pay’ event to help decide how £20,000 should be spent to best improve their community.

The ‘You Say, We Pay’ event was held over the weekend at Bridgehall Community Centre. The event was organised by the Safer Stockport Partnership which includes Stockport Council’s Neighbourhood Renewal Team, the Community Safety Unit, and Greater Manchester Police.

Contributors to the fund included: Neighbourhood Renewal, Stockport Homes, the Community Safety Unit, Our Shared Future Fund, Stockport Rangers, Johnnie Johnson Housing Association, Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service, West Area Neighbourhood Policing Team; and Manchester & District Housing Association.

Community groups across Adswood and Bridgehall were invited to bid for part of the funding to help pay for a project that would benefit community safety. A total of 15 groups submitted applications and delivered three-minute presentations on what they wanted to use the money for. Through an innovative interactive voting system, residents decided which projects they thought would benefit their community the most and how much funding they should receive. 

The residents also voted to spend £1,500 to improve the health and wellbeing of local residents supporting two projects; Rhythmics and Evergreens.

Prior to the voting residents were given the opportunity to take part in workshops offering advice on completing bid application forms and presenting skills delivered by the Council's Neighbourhood Renewal Team.

Councillor Sue Derbyshire, Executive Member for Communities, said: “The ‘You Say we Pay’ events are excellent examples of how working together with partners allows us to pool our skills and resources to achieve the best results for the community. This was a very well supported event and I would like to thank everybody who attended.”    

PC Jill Slaine, from the Stockport West Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “This event was a definite success and enabled residents to vote on issues that directly affect their area.  As part of the Policing Pledge we are working closely with the public to resolve their issues and look forward to noticing the difference this money will make to the lives of people in the area.”

Below is a breakdown of the community groups and the money they were allocated by the voters:

New Police Post Opened at Offerton School - 23 October 2009

Offerton residents are set to benefit from the opening of a new police post in the heart of the community.

The new police post was officially opened on Wednesday 21st October at Offerton School on The Fairway, Offerton.

Opening the new police post is part of the Policing Pledge and Neighbourhood Policing, which aims to ensure officers are visible and effective in the areas they serve.  

Pictured at the official launch of the new police post at Offerton School are (left to right back row) Councillor John Smith, Chair of Governors is Dr Paul Beatty, Stockport Council's Head of Community Safety Steve Brown; (left to right front row) Headteacher Evelyn Leslie, Chief Superintendent Mark Granby and Superintendent Alison Fletcher, plus pupils from the school.

The new post is part of a drive to further improve links with local communities, reduce crime and offer assistance to residents. The post was introduced as a result of the close partnership working between the police and Stockport Council - two of the agencies that make up the Safer Stockport Partnership.  
 
The post is the first of its kind in Offerton and as part of the Safer Schools Partnership the post will be a base for two police constables and one police community support officer. Similar police posts were opened at Bramhall High School and at Stockport College’s Heaton Moor Campus earlier this year, which has helped forge stronger links between the community and the police.  

Councillor Sue Derbyshire, Executive Member for Communities, said: “Partnership working is a very important factor in bringing communities together and the opening of this new police post at Offerton School is a very good example of this. It is very important to build up trust in local communities between residents and the police and this will help that process.”

Chief Superintendent Mark Granby, from the Stockport Division of Greater Manchester Police, said: “This new post demonstrates our commitment to the Policing Pledge and the Safer Schools Partnership which ensures Neighbourhood Policing Teams are visible in, and listening to, the communities we serve.

“Officers now have a permanent presence in the heart of the community and this will enable them to further relationships and reduce crime and the fear of crime in the local neighbourhood.”

Passageway Gating

Passageway Gating is the process of putting up a lockable gate to control access to a passage, sometimes referred to as alley gating. This is done so that only authorised people have access to the passageway, often for the purposes of crime reduction but also to allow improvements to the area.

The Safer Stockport Partnership has published a guide that introduces both the benefits and the issues regarding passageway gating. It also contains a step by step guide dedicated to helping you through the process of getting a private access passageway, which is not part of a through route, gated. However the Guide is ONLY aimed at the gating of privately owned, private access, passageways that are not part of a footpath, through route, or Public Right of Way.

All passageway gating requests should be referred initially to the Public Rights of Way Team within the Environment and Economy Directorate at Stockport Council. They will give you a view on the legal status of your passageway and whether the Guide applies to it or not.

Click here for a summary of the Guide and contact details. Click here for the full Guide.