Words by Simon Wilson, Chief Executive Officer – The Pioneer Group & Castle Vale Community Housing / Pics supplied by The Pioneer Group
In May, I was pleased to represent The Pioneer Group at the Castle Vale Community Safety Summit called and organised by Cllr. Ray Goodwin.
The event was a part our response to residents’ concerns that crime and anti-social behaviour was getting worse on the Vale. On a sunny Saturday afternoon, it was testament to the strength of feeling that nearly 40 residents attended and took an opportunity to share their thoughts and experiences.
There was clearly some frustration in respect of the police presence and how thinly spread resources are. Though it was pleasing to hear evidence that crime was actually less prevalent in the Vale than in some surrounding areas.
We continue to play our part in this important issue having recently supported the local policing team to maintain a presence on the Vale, working from one of Pioneer’s local office hubs. Our recent investment in digital upgrades to the CCTV camaras means that they’re all working well.
Residents were supportive of the summit and shared ideas around placement of cameras and the potential for ANPR systems on main access and exits to the neighbourhood and were invited to join a new community speed watch group.
There was a real consensus that we would continue to work in partnership to strengthen the offer around youth work and provision for young people on the Vale.
We remain committed to listening to and acting on feedback from our most important stakeholders, our tenants and residents.
For more on The Pioneer Group visit www.pioneergroup.org.uk and for more on Compass Support visit www.compass-support.org.uk
For more on Castle Vale Community Housing visit www.cvch.org.uk
The Pioneer Group, Castle Vale Community Housing, and Compass Support are key partners in the Erdington Local COMMUNITY ANCHORS programme – supporting independent local and community journalism.
