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Current Issues

Click on the subject you wish to read about:

Neighbourhood Watch Notices, Fly Infestation, Graffiti, Burglar Alarms

Kingfisher Gardens, Age Concern, NHS Information, Dogs, Speeding Vehicles, Disposal of Long-Life Light Bulbs

Parking at The Shops Local Area Forum

Neighbourhood Watch Notices

The police operate a system called "Ringmaster" which they use to alert local communities to urgent problems occurring in their area.  Messages that concern Richings Park  residents are posted below.

If you have any information about the following messages that is of an urgent nature please contact the police enquiry centre on 0845 8 505 505 and state that you are responding to a Ringmaster message.

Many crimes have been solved because people have responded to police appeals for information.  Whether you are part of a Watch scheme or a member of the public your help could be invaluable. 

Community Messaging enables the police to keep you informed of crime trends in your neighbourhood and to provide details of meetings and general crime prevention advice to help you protect yourself from crime.  

Messages are sent via the computerised Ringmaster messaging system mentioned above.  Members can choose to receive the messages by via e-mail, phone or fax.  The messages are sent to selected areas so that members only receive information relevant to the neighbourhood where they live.

 

If you would like to find out more about Community Messaging you can register on line at www.tvpcommunitymessaging.org or click HERE to download a form that you can send in by post.

You can also catch up on crime and community safety information via a new website which has recently been launched for Buckinghamshire.  The website at www.ionbucks.info is the first public website to display crime and community safety information by using hotspot maps and by providing summary crime figures at postcode level. At the moment, the website displays data by graph, table and map. There is a link from each neighbourhood summary page directly to the same neighbourhood within the Thames Valley Police website so that users can find out more about their neighbourhood, what's happening and how to get involved.

The Neighbourhood Policing Team issues regular Newsletters about their work.  You can access the latest one by clicking HERE.

The Community Safety Partnership also publish newsletters about their work.  To view the latest issue click HERE.

 

Message Received 09/05/11

At around 12.40pm on Saturday 6th May a drill kit was stolen from the boot of a car in Bathurst Walk, Richings Park. The aggrieved was working on the vehicle and had left the boot open. The offenders are described as 2 males wearing black leather jackets and helmets and driving a red motorcycle which had duck tape over the rear index plate.

Message Received 04/05/11

In Richings Park, a member of the public caught three male youths stealing copper. He detained two males who were arrested and a third male handed himself in later. Copper was recovered and returned to the owner.


Message Received 26/04/11

Between 9.30am - 12.30pm on Monday 25th April there was a burglary in Bathhurst Walk, Richings Park.  Entry gained by smashing rear window with screwdriver. An Ipod, Jewellery and cash stolen.

Message Received 29/03/11

On Monday 28 March there was a burglary in Syke Ings, Richings Park (between nos 17-31) Offenders have climbed over a fence into the back garden. They have smashed a small conservatory window and then lent through to open main window. A laptop and cash were stolen.

Message Received 25/08/10

Between 10.45am to 3.50pm on Tuesday 24 August there was a burglary in Richings Way, Iver.

Entry was gained via a ground floor window which activated the alarm. An untidy search was carried out and a safe, car keys and black Mercedes were stolen.

The vehicle was later found in West Drayton.

Message Received 08/07/10

Between 9.30am to 11.45 am on Tuesday 6 July there was a burglary in Richings Way, Iver. Entry was gained by smashing a rear door window and lap tops, jewellery and documents stolen

Message Received 06/07/10

Overnight of Saturday 3 June to Sunday 4 June there was an attempted burglary in Skye Ings, Richings Park.  Offenders have tried to force a kitchen window but were unsuccessful. They then entered an outhouse and stole food from the freezer.

Message Received 16/06/10

Between 2.45pm to 5.10pm on Monday 14 June there was a burglary in Thorney Mill Road, Iver ( between nos 111-121).  Entry was gained by forcing the front door and a messy search carried out. Three small metal safes containing premium bonds, deposit bonds, passport, driving licence and other personal documents were stolen.

Message Received 09/06/10

At approximately 4.45pm on Saturday 5 June there was a burglary in The Poynings, Richings Park. Entry was gained by forcing the front door and a Samsung 50 inch Plasma TV, lap tops and handbag stolen.

Between 4pm on Monday 7 June to 5.15am on Tuesday 8 June a vehicle was broken into in Richings Way. Offenders smashed a window of a white Ford transit van to gain entry and stole a sat nav and clothing.

Message Received 26/05/10

Overnight of Monday 24th to Tuesday 25th May there were two burglaries in Bathhurst Walk, Richings Park.

Property 1 - entry via insecure front door and cash stolen. Thorough search of ground floor and it is believed the offenders were looking for car keys.

Property 2 - entry was gained by forcing a front PVC window and once inside offenders have stolen car keys and a red Saab 9-3 Vector sports car.

Message Received 19/05/10

Between 12.30pm to 1.00pm on Tuesday 18 May there was a burglary in Main Drive, Richings Park. It is believed the offender(s) gained entry via an insecure door whilst the owner was mowing the lawn in the back garden. Jewellery, cash and a wallet were stolen.

This is a classic example of an opportunist burglary and a timely reminder to keep doors and windows locked at all times.

Avoid leaving gardening tools (especially hedge trimmers and other power tools) lying around if you have to break off from the work in hand.
 

Message Received 19/04/10

Burglary between 11pm on 17 April to 9am on 18 April in Bathurst Walk, Richings Park. Entry via the front door. Car keys, MP3 player and purses stolen.

Message Received 19/02/10

Overnight of Wednesday 17th Feb to Thursday 18th Feb there was a burglary in Skye Ings, Iver.  Offenders used a tool through the letterbox to open the front door.   A laptop, mobile phones, keys and handbag were stolen.

Message Received 12/02/10 

Between 8.45 to 9.45 am on Thursday 11 Feb there was a burglary in Somerset Way, Richings Park.  Entry was gained by forcing the front door and cash stolen. 

The Richings Park area has experienced a problem with small flies with the most likely source being the Iver Sludge Treatment Works located over the M4 down Old Slade Lane. Two other potential sources of the flies – The Colnbrook Landfill and the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) run by Grundons – are in the process of being investigated by a consultant Entomologist working for Thames Water. It is important that these two locations are investigated and excluded as a source before focus can be placed on the Iver Sludge site. To date, Environmental Health Officers of both South Bucks District Council and Slough Borough Council have been monitoring the effects of the control efforts (chemical control) by Thames Water. To this end, they have asked if we could submit regular updates on infestations to assist them in this task.  The Residents Association have taken on the task of collecting and collating these fly activity reports.  If you wish to report an incident of flies at your home then please click the link below which opens up a specially designed form which we would ask you to complete

As a result of submitting a report on July 11, 2011 the following responses were obtained from the consultant entymologist and the local environmental health officer.

Entymologist : Due to changed health and safety procedures at Thames Water, we had to revise the control and monitoring techniques. Unfortunately, this has taken us rather long this year. In addition, we had a sudden increase in temperature early in the year, which took as by surprise. We apologise if you have experienced higher numbers of flies. Thames Water has decided to install screens at the covered bays, so that these can be fully enclosed for a better treatment; this will happen over the next months. Furthermore, the bays were treated last week and today, they will be treated again this week Thursday. We hope this will reduce numbers of flies to a acceptable level. Thames Water is currently drafting a more detailed information release and will send this out to you and the Enviromental Health Departments next week.

Please note that the flies of concern at Iver South are Lycoriella ingenua, a species of Sciaridae. This fly is known to breed in compost and can often be found in pot plants. It also is known to cause a nuisance in mushroom farms. It does NOT transmit any diseases.

Environmental Health Officer: Just so you are aware, and in anticipation of situations like this, I designed a new fly nuisance leaflet to assist SBDC residents.  This leaflet could be accessed on our website at: http://www.southbucks.gov.uk/includes/documents/cm_docs/2011/f/flynuisance.pdf 

I will try and place a fly monitoring log sheet on the web page before the week runs out, which could be downloaded by residents. Additionally, complaints can be registered with the District Council through the normal process, with the response focused on monitoring number trends weekly over a 48hr period.  

Graffiti

Graffiti is the illegal or unauthorised defacing of a building, wall or other edifice or object by painting or otherwise marking it with words, pictures or symbols.

Graffiti lowers the tone of a neighbourhood and Richings Park is suffering at the present time.  The most practical way to deter it is to remove it as soon as possible. 

Offensive graffiti is a criminal act.  If you see any graffiti you should report it as soon as possible.   You should report it to both the Council and the Police.  Details are as follows:- 

a)  To the clerk of the Parish Council, Glenda Collins telephone 01753 655331, who collates a list of locations for graffiti removal and passes it on to South Bucks District Council. 

b)  To South Bucks district council.  You can write, telephone or use the Internet.  Telephone: 01895 837200.                      Internet:  www.southbucks.gov.uk/policing_public_safety/crime_and_law_enforcement/,    then  for general information click on Graffiti removal policy, and then to report it click on the Graffiti reporting form which will enable you to report it on their website. 

c)  To the Police on their non emergency telephone no. 0845 8 505505 and request a Unique Reference Number for future use if you need to report it elsewhere. Or, if you prefer you can telephone Crime Stoppers anonymous on 0800 555 111 to record graffiti offences. 

d)  If it is on Railway property then report it to the British Transport police on 0800 40 50 40. 

Helpful information to supply when you report graffiti:- 

a) Tag information.  A tag is the stylised signature of a graffiti offender.  It usually takes the form of several letters in a particular arrangement to tell his/her peer group who defaced the surface.  More than one conviction has been obtained on the basis of tag identification.  If you have a digital camera to photograph it then that can provide useful visual evidence for the Council and the Police. 

b) The nature of the graffiti eg is it offensive or just plain defacement? 

c) The exact location (which may need more than a simple address) of the graffiti and whose property it is written upon. 

South Bucks District Council Policy is to endeavour to remove general graffiti on Council land or property within 10 working days of it being reported. The aim for Offensive Graffiti is reduced to 2 working days. 

If the graffiti is not on Council property or land it is the responsibility of the property owner to have it removed (this includes the utility supply companies, transport, telephone, royal mail post boxes, etc.).  The aim is to try to ensure graffiti removal within a reasonable time in such instances.  The Council has the power to issue a "Graffiti removal notice" requiring an owner to remove graffiti from private land (this could take a month or more). 

You may have have read in  the February issue of Iver Parish Magazine that County Councillor Alan Oxley has allocated some money for use by the Parish Council to remove graffiti.   

Richings Park is looking for residents living near cable distribution boxes to "adopt" the box and keep it clear of graffiti.  Iver Parish Council may be able to supply paint for this purpose.  If we can actively clean up the area and KEEP it clean (that is the essential part and this may take a while before the vandals tire of rewriting their tags)  then Richings Park becomes a more attractive area.  If you would like to “adopt” a box then please contact your Residents Association road warden who can help you obtain the materials.

Targets for graffiti include cable boxes, post boxes, electrical sub stations, street name signs, any hoardings and even brickwork - the trick is to endeavour to remove the graffiti within 24 hours after first photographing it with a digital camera.  The photograph can then be forwarded to the police and council which will help them identify the offender(s).

Breaking News - April 2nd, 2008

PC 6044 Caroline Tailor, your local Neighbourhood Specialist Officer, is pleased to report that three youths have been arrested in connection to graffiti offences following a joint venture with the parish council.

PCSO Bates and PCSO Moat working with the parish clerk and members of the parish council services worked tirelessly to identify and evidence graffiti tags sprayed in the local area. This is not only an eyesore for the local residents and the community in general but the cleaning and repair of the damage is the responsibility of the council.

It is hoped that these arrests will deter any other potential graffiti vandals and send a message that the police will not tolerate this behaviour in the future. Please report any incidents of criminal damage or anti-social behaviour to the police on 0845 8 505 505 or if you wish to remain anonymous to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

If you wish to speak to PC Tailor or PC Edwards they can be contacted by asking for Iver Police station on the 0845 8 number.

Burglar Alarms

Many houses in Richings Park have a burglar alarm.  However, the rules have changed in the last few years about these intruder alarms.

“Bell only” alarms deter intruders and may alert the neighbours, but they no longer give an automatic police response.  The police will respond to an activated alarm only if an unlawful entry has been reported.

The reason is simple - of the twenty-eight thousand alarm calls in 2005 in the Thames Valley area the false activation rate was over 90%!

In addition, if your alarm was not professionally installed and maintained then it is no longer a requirement by Thames Valley Police to notify them of any keyholders. 

Quite simply if your alarm goes off when you are away, whether at work or on holiday, you are relying on your neighbours to check that everything is OK, see if there has been a forced entry, and call the police if there has.  So it makes sense to let the neighbour have a door key, or at least the phone number of someone nearby who does.

If a neighbour reports to you that your alarm goes off quite often, then it really does merit looking into closely.  Is it set up properly?  Are there motion sensors that can be triggered by a curtain blowing in a breeze?  If a radio system, is it on the same frequency as a nearby system, causing interference between the two?

If in doubt, it is worth getting professional advice, because a series of false alarms may well  start the “cry wolf” syndrome and make the whole exercise rather pointless.

More people are now having a remotely monitored alarm system installed.  This is a professional installation, which when activated notifies a 24/7 monitoring centre run by the company, which can check the validity of the call, and then notify the police.

Obviously such a system costs more to maintain, but for many the extra peace of mind is worthwhile. 

If you are interested in a monitored system, Yellow Pages will list established firms.  The Police advise you look for a company registered by the National Security Inspectorate that bears the NSI, NACOSS or SSAIB approval.

It is also well worth asking the advice of neighbours and colleagues who already have a good alarm system and are happy with the service they received.

Household insurance companies may also offer advice and/or a discount for installing such a system.  

It is recommended that you get at least three quotations for any work. 

For useful web pages on this subject see the "Useful Links" section of this website.

Kingfisher Gardens - Community Garden 

This land has a chequered history.  It stands on what is virtually an island between the Colne Brook and the millstream from the Colne Brook.  The original mill that gave Thorney Mill Road its name stood on the north side of the road between the two streams and this land on the south side was the site of the mill barn.  The land eventually passed into local authority ownership.  It was offered for sale and eventually was owned by a family of travellers who built on the site without planning permission and there followed a protracted legal action which finally resulted in the land being compulsorily purchased by South Bucks District.  It was left in a disgusting state for many years. 

Richings Park Resident’s Association encouraged by South Bucks District and supported by Ground Work Thames Valley applied for a grant from “Living Spaces” to establish a community garden on this site.  With support in kind from Bardons (Aggregate Industries), and Simpsons, financial grants from South Bucks District, Ground Work Thames Valley and the Residents’ Association and money from a local resident’s companies a total project expenditure of over £43,000 has resulted in the creation of this community garden. 

The Chairman of South Bucks District Council officially opened the garden on Sunday 2nd April at 2pm when all those who were involved in the regeneration of this site were in attendance.   Music was provided by the West Wycombe Brass band and a bar and light refreshments were laid on.

Following the garden's completion, on-going maintenance has fallen to the Residents' Association to perform. This has been done by outsourcing to a local contractor at a cost to the Association's funds.  We are now fortunate that a sponsor has come forward, Paynes Metal Recycling on the Court Lane Industrial Estate.  Paynes have made a donation to our funds that covers these costs for this year, 2008-2009.

                                                                                            

 

Age Concern

There are currently over 150 lonely elderly people in Buckinghamshire of which a high proportion are in South Bucks.  Could you possibly spare one hour per week to simply visit a local elderly person.  All you have to do is talk to them, often over a cup of tea, and keep them company and help break up their long lonely often very boring week.  You will simply be a new friend. There is no other obligation.

If you think you can help then please contact:

Mike Brooks, Age Concern Bucks, 145 Meadowcroft, Aylesbury, Bucks HP19 9HH

Tel: 01296 431911

NHS Consultation

Better Healthcare in Bucks is a programme run jointly by NHS organisations in the county, with the aim of developing health services which are high quality, accessible, sustainable and offer a good patient experience, with a focus particularly on ensuring that all the  hospitals in the county can be developed and continue to play a role in the local NHS.  Click HERE to view/download  a stakeholder newsletter, to update residents with recent developments. 

 

Dogs : Control and Fouling

If you find a stray dog at any time and are able to contain it, South Bucks District Council can arrange collection.   In the first instance telephone: 01895 837264. Outside office hours telephone: 01895 837524

A dog is kenneled for seven days before being re-homed and there is a fee of £50.00 plus kenneling and collection expenses (plus VAT) for its return.  For information or advice on lost dogs please contact : Environmental Health Administration, Tel: 01895 837264
Email: envhealth@southbucks.gov.uk  Website: www.rspcahillingdonclinic.org.uk

South Bucks District Council have produced a leaflet about dog fouling, this can be read by clicking here

Speeding Vehicles

We have just obtained data from a survey carried out of vehicle speeds in Richings Park. In the week that this took place, the following data was noted: 24 counts of vehicles exceeding 81mph on North Park and 4 in Thorney Lane South, North Park is rarely below 45mph and Thorney Lane is rarely above 45mph.

High speeds mainly tend to occur in the very early morning and throughout the evening. Once traffic volumes rise for the 'rush hour' this seems to constrain speeds. The same is noticeable at weekends but with a time shift of a few hours.

It may be of interest to know that North Park/Richings Way is the most heavily used unclassified road in the whole of South Bucks District carrying around 10,000 vehicle movements per day with over 1,000 of these being heavy goods vehicles.

The Residents Association now has a radar speed gun. We have teamed up with the Community Safety Partnership which allows us to send them data collected by the speed gun together with vehicle registration numbers. This then triggers a letter to be sent to the vehicle owner advising them that the vehicle has been seen exceeding the speed limit. If three letters are accumulated like this then the owner will receive a visit from the police to discuss these transgressions!