Bathwick’s beat police officers hold a PaCT meeting every six months to “give you the opportunity to influence what happens in your neighbourhood”. A panel of police and council staff, plus me, is chaired by Rev Prothero of Bathwick St Mary’s. This month we were out of his parish in the Claverton Down Community Hall.
The three priorities of the previous meeting were reviewed, the first two mostly pertaining to the police. Their patrols in Sydney Gardens have been regular and productive. Noise complaints are down and, after one successful confrontation, graffitti attacks are also much reduced. However, it is acknowledged that all uses of the park reduce seasonally due to the cold weather and dark nights. Regarding speeding, the police run an hour or so of speed checks from their van at different points around the ward every month.
The final priority, to install a zebra crossing on Bathwick Hill near Tesco, was a council issue. Unfortunately no member of council staff was at the meeting, but I was able to report the success of our petition with the crossing allocated funding for this financial year (ie before April next year).
Following discussion, the three new priorities are (also shown on the police website):
- to investigate road safety on Sham Castle Lane, looking at speeding, signage and closure
- to continue to enforce speed limits on Claverton Down Road and to accelerate the provision on double yellow lines
- to provide a zebra crossing on Bathwick Hill, monitored by the police for its first few days.
I hope that in future BathNES council staff will also be able to attaned these meetings. I am a representative to the council, not of the council; I am as unable to understand or explain the many failings of the organisation as any other member of the public!