University neighbourhood update - Reading - 16-07-2008

Here is the latest update for the University neighbourhood from Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Shane Edwards.

It has been a busy month for the University neighbourhood police team despite many of the students having left for the summer break. We now have a large number of overseas students studying and staying at the university for the summer.

PCSOs have delivered the summer 2008 Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) update leaflets. You should have received your copy - it has important information regarding feedback from the NAG open meeting in March.

PCSOs have also been involved in promoting a new Business Watch Scheme along Wokingham Road. It is very similar to the already established Pub Watch but obviously aimed at businesses instead. Information packs have been handed to businesses. If you would like to find out more please contact Liz Herbert at Reading police station on 0118 953 6250.

The top three priorities for the area are:

1. Anti-social behaviour

PCSOs have been actively involved in targeting anti-social behaviour hotspots with high visibility patrols, in particular around the Wokingham Road and Palmer Park areas taking action as necessary.

2. Environmental issues

As student houses are emptying out there has been a lot of rubbish being left in the front gardens of some properties. The neighbourhood team are aware of this issue and are monitoring the situation working with tenants/landlords and Reading Borough Council.

Leaflets have been distributed across the area giving advice about recycling to help prevent piles of rubbish from building up.

A recent success story was a lot of dangerous rubbish, such as broken glass, which had been left on the footpath in Blenheim Gardens was removed by the council after complaints from local residents.

This is an important issue for many local residents and by working together we can clear our streets up. We are talking to any offending properties and encourage people to continue to report this to us.

3. Personal safety

PCSO Sally Hynes has been offering crime reduction advice to the overseas students at a recent talk. She said: "It is vital that we engage with the new overseas students and make them aware of simple measures they can take to stop themselves becoming victims of crime. It is good that we can reassure them, acting as a friendly face when they are finding their feet in a different country."

Personal alarms and personal safety advice is always available at our PCSO surgeries which are held regularly.

Upcoming Events

17 July 2008 - Western Challenge Housing Community Fun Day
Western Challenge Hosing Association is holding a Community Fun Day on Thursday 17 July from 3pm to 10pm at Redlane Court in Reading. The event is open to all local residents and will have stalls, tombola, raffles etc and a barbecue. PCSOs Sally Hynes and Stephen Vaughan will be attending with the local neighbourhood policing van and a cycle marking session will be available.

19 July 2008 - Reading 5's Competition at Palmer Park Sports Stadium

On Saturday 19 July 2008, a large-scale 5-A-Side football tournament involving an estimated 120 teams will be taking place at the park. It will be a busy event with a lot of people attending, why not go along and show your support for our local teams.

Local success

PCSOs were recently pictured in an article in the Reading Evening Post celebrating completing their first year on campus. It has been a challenging but rewarding year working with staff, students and security staff to make the university a safer more enjoyable place to work and study. Rhiann Davies, deputy security services manager at the university, said: "The PCSOs have been a fantastic asset to us in their first year."

In another Reading Evening Post article, PCSOs Omendra Gurung and Karin Bird were pictured helping distribute over 900 leaflets to the local community in East Reading about how to recycle waste to help avoid piles of rubbish being dumped on our streets as the students leave.

If you need to contact the team please call 0845 8 505 505 or visit our website at thamesvalley.police.uk and click on neighbourhood policing.

If you have a local Reading event or local Reading news you wish to promote, please send the details via e-mail to: