From Stockport Council:

Irresponsible dog owners who fail to clean up after their pet were targeted in a recent campaign, “Operation Staffi,” in Stockport. Although incidents of dog fouling in public places have fallen in the borough, the Council says that a minority of dog walkers still fail to clear up after their pet.

During the Council’s recent “Operation Staffi,” Environmental Officers cracked down on irresponsible dog walkers in Reddish and Heatons areas. Anyone caught failing to clear up after their dog was issued with a £50 Fixed Penalty Notice. People failing to pay this will be prosecuted and could face a fine of up to £1000.

Officers were also on the lookout for people dropping litter or daubing graffiti. Residents are urged to report incidents of dog owners failing to clean up after their pet by contacting the Council’s Dog Warden Service on 016 474 4207.

Each month the police come along to Cheadle Area Committee to let us know what’s happening and give councillors and the public the opportunity to ask questions and raise issues.

Here are the main points from Tuesday’s meeting, from Inspector Steve Gilbertson, PC Jim Wilson and PCSO Adam Brown.

• Pubwatch is still going strongly in Cheadle and Cheadle Hulme.  A “nightwatch” system is being considered - two way radios in each pub and the police control room so problems can quickly be reported.  Gatley’s pubwatch, we were told, has been less successful and isn’t currently active.  (Hopefully it can be resurrected soon).
•  The police operation to deal with problems on the last day of the summer term was successful.  Letters were sent out so teachers, pupils and parents knew there would be a strong police presence and action would be taken where there were problems.  The police were patrolling early - as soon as the schools were out - along with the Council’s anti-social behaviour team.  The result was a quiet evening with few problems.
• Crime overall is down over the last 12 months in the Cheadle/Cheadle Hulme area.  An exception is theft of, and from, motor vehicles which is very slightly up on a year ago.  Residents are urged to take sensible precautions about not leaving valuables on display in cars.

Pam and I spend yesterday evening knocking on doors in Oak Road and Oakfield Avenue, Cheadle.

The Oak Road area’s had an on-and-off problem with anti-social behaviour for quite a while, which Pam and I have been working with the Police to crack.

The message we got on the doorstep yesterday was positive: people told us they aren’t  having problems with anti-social behaviour at the moment (particularly good to hear in the middle of the summer holidays.

I do think that’s in large part due to the hard work of the Police and the Council who have really focussed on the area to deal with the small minority of residents causing problems (and it only takes one or two to make a lot of people’s lives a misery).

No-one’s naive enough to think this state of affairs is permanent, and it’s important we keep on top of the problem, so please let us know if there are more problems in future.

There was an armed robbery at Cheadle Post Office this morning (Thursday 29th July) at 9.30am.

The robbers stole a security van with money, dumped it on Bruntwood Park and crossed the park on foot to another vehicle.

No-one was injured in the robbery.  If you have any information that might help the police, please contact them.

Stockport Council’s Corporate Resource, Management & Governance Scrutiny (CRMG) Committee met last night.  Its job is to keep an eye on how the council operates internally - the “back office” side of things.

As a new item, we discussed the Council’s use of RIPA, the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

RIPA provides a framework for a variety of public bodies - including councils, the police, the Benefits Agency and others - to use covert surveillance to gather evidence against members of the public suspected of breaking the law.

It’s been pretty controversial, with a typical Daily Mail comment against it being

When it was passed in 2000, the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act attracted little public attention.

Those who did take an interest were informed that, far from being a cause for alarm, it would offer greater protection from Big Brother by regulating for the first time spying by the police and the security services.

Yet in only eight years, RIPA has become one of the most powerful tools of the surveillance state, used almost without restraint by councils determined to catch anybody daring to put their rubbish out on the wrong day.

It hasn’t been used for that in Stockport.

Stockport Council, we now know, used RIPA seven times in 2008 and seven times in 2009.  It wasn’t used to catch people putting out their bins on the wrong day, or to catch dog walkers.  It’s mainly been used to tackle anti-social behaviour and illegal selling of alcohol to children when other methods of gathering evidence have failed.

Councillors on the CRMG Scrutiny committee will be getting a quarterly report on how RIPA is being used by the Council so we can keep an eye on it.

Overall, I’ve long had concerns about the RIPA legislation - whether it’s too broadly drafted and gives too much power to the various public bodies that use it.  The Coalition government is considering changes and it may be that authorising RIPA requests moves from the Council to  Magistrates.

However, Stockport Council’s use of the legislation seems to me to be both appropriate and proportionate at present, and I look forward to monitoring it and ensuring it stays that way.

I’ve received a report of a bogus caller who tried (unsuccessfully, I’m glad to say) to con his way into a house in Cheadle Hulme, pretending to be from Scottish Power.

Just a reminder to be on the look-out for bogus callers.  The advice is:

• When answering their door remind people to always use their door chain, check who is there by looking through a window, door viewer and always ask for identification – IF IN DOUBT KEEP THEM OUT!
• Please advise people not to do business or accept services from a cold caller on the telephone or at the door
• Remind people to lock all doors and windows securely
• Double check with family, friends and people they know within organisations they deal with to check the authenticity of callers

(but locking up your daughters is strictly optional these days).

A warning from Inspector Steve Gilbertson at today’s meeting with councillors.  Steve noted that there had been five burglaries in Gatley in the last two weeks of May (more than elsewhere in the area).

All five involved cars being stolen from outside houses at night and, in at least three cases, burglars were able to gain entry to the house through unlocked doors and pinch the car keys.

So please, please, please, especially on these warmer evenings, make sure your car keys aren’t a soft touch for thieves.  Don’t leave them near the front or back doors - ideally take them to bed with you (in the nicest possible way).

The latest crime figures for this year compared to last year demonstrate that all crime in Stockport was down 16.4% (3,984 fewer offences). There has been a 17% fall in burglary, vehicle crime is down 25.3% and robberies have fallen by 31.9%. There were also significant decreases in serious violent crime in Stockport, reduced by 6.6%.

Less serious incidents of assault were reduced by 11.3%. These results build on longer term reductions in crime and anti-social behaviour. Over the last six years the Safer Stockport Partnership has achieved the following reductions in crime:

· vehicle crime down by 46%

· serious violence crime down 43%

· robbery down by 27%

· anti-social behaviour down by over 30%

Good news from today’s meeting with police - there has been some enforcement of the “no entry except for access” rule on Gatley’s South Park Road estate and there will be more.

The transport police, based in Eccles, who are the first people to do this sort of enforcement have been asked and have shown no interest.

Now our neighbourhood police have stood in and have started enforcing the rule.

I’ve asked Inspector Steve Gilbertson to ensure that this continues.  No-one’s expecting police to be permanently positioned on the estate - there are other issues to deal with too - but it does need to be an ongoing process.

Stockport Domestic Abuse Court has gained national accreditation. It is one of 141 courts specialising in this area in England and Wales. The court was set up under the Safer Stockport Partnership to improve the support and care provided for victims of domestic abuse. It comprises representatives of Stockport Council, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and other agencies, working in partnership with the criminal justice system and partner agencies. Key features of the courts include:-

• trained and dedicated criminal justice staff with enhanced expertise in dealing with domestic violence, including magistrates specially trained in dealing with domestic violence cases

• tailored support and advice from independent domestic violence advisers

• Multi-agency risk assessment conferences to provide protection for those most at risk of harm.

Help and support can be obtained by contacting Stockport Women’s Aid on 0161 477 4271 or the National Domestic Abuse Helpline free on 0808 2000 247 (staffed 24 hours).

I’ve received this request from the police:
On the evening of Saturday 17/04/10 a number of student from Kingsway School were attacked in an unprovoked manner by a large number of youths from Wythenshawe.  Some of the injuries are serious.  The police have increased patrols around the school and the park, and are also working very closely with the Police Officers from the Wythenshawe Division.

Please can we ask that if any resident sees groups of youths in the area of Gatley/Cheadle who look intent on causing fights report this to the police asap.  Also if anyone has any information with regards to this incident or planned future incident that this is communicated to us asap.

Police - Urgent 999
Police- Non-urgent 0161 872 5050
West Neighbourhood Policing Team 0161 856 9770

The victim, who is in his 50s, was watching Spanish football at the Prince of Wales pub in Gatley at about 11.20pm on Saturday 27 March 2010, when he began chatting with a group of four men and two women.

The group began mocking the victim and one of the offenders approached him and put something, believed to be hair gel, in his hair.

The victim responded by pouring a pint over the offender’s head, prompting him to head butt the victim. A second man who was in the group then smashed a pint glass into the victim’s face.

The group left and the victim went to hospital for treatment to facial injuries.

It is believed the offenders are from either the Benchill or Wythenshawe area.

Detective Constable Julian Scarsbrook, of Stockport CID, said: ” The victim had spent the evening enjoying himself in the pub when the group thought it acceptable to taunt and assault him.

“There was no reason whatsoever for them to do so and their actions are that of mindless idiots.

“If anyone was in the pub and saw what happened or knows who is responsible I would urge them to get in touch.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Stockport CID on 0161 856 9845, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

After years of trying, it looks like Brookhead Arcade on Stockport Road, Cheadle is finally to be gated.  The arcade of shops near Jubilee Park has a walk-through in the middle that’s long acted as a magnet for anti-social behaviour at night.

The aim is for gates to be fitted by the end of April and operated by the shopkeepers.

The Kenilworth Pub in Cheadle Hulme has, in the past, had some issues with violence and anti-social behaviour, especially on derby days.

Police have reported that there have been no issues in the last three months and so the pub has been removed from their hotlist of problem pubs.

Meanwhile, Pub Watch in Cheadle is formally being launched with a meeting on 14th April - we wish it every success!

UPDATE: The landlord of the Kenilworth, John Powell, has contacted me to point out that the pub has had no recent problems and only a handful over the last couple of years, a correction which I’m happy to pass on.

At this evening’s Cheadle Area Committee we had an update from PC Jim Wilson on the issues in the Oak Road Area.  The news from the police was positive, so I’m particularly keen to hear from residents to see if this matches their experiences over the last week or so.

• Police have met one particular resident to agree an action plan to deal with problems in the area.
• Many of the problems seemed to stem from one particular address on Oak Road where a young man was living, with visitors at all hours and drug activity. Stockport Homes and the Police are working on an eviction.  The tenant has been served with an eviction notice and has two weeks to appeal.  The earliest court date that’s been secured is 23rd May.
• The property was recently boarded up when the resident was in hospital for two weeks.  When the resident returned, the house was unboarded.  However, the Police say they are unaware of any further problems in the last few days  and the tenant may be staying elsewhere.
• More Special Constables are patrolling in the Oak Road area, and more night patrols have been requested.
• A mobile police station is in Oak Road roughly one day a week, with patrols from the station.  Residents are encouraged to drop by and share any concerns they have.
• Patrolling officers are looking to identify youths and, where there are problems, will look at further measures such as acceptable behaviour contracts.
• On a couple of evenings, Section 60 powers have been approved, giving officers the power to conduct searches without normal grounds of suspicion.  A couple of arrests have resulted.
• A young man is on bail, having been arrested in relation to the vandalism of cars in Whitegates and the south end of Ashfield Road.

A thief snatched a pregnant woman’s bag only to rummage through it and throw it back seconds later.

At about 12.15pm on Wednesday 10 March 2010, a 30-year-old woman was making her way through a walkway between Styal Road and Highcrest Avenue, Gatley, when she stopped to allow a cyclist to pass.

The cyclist grabbed the woman’s bag, knocking her to the ground.

He rode a short distance, looked inside the bag and threw it back at her before riding off.

An E-fit has now been released of the offender, who is described as white, in his late 20s, 6ft tall, of medium build with short, black spiky hair. He was riding a black BMX.

PC Karen Smith, from the Volume Crime Team, said: “The offender has subjected the woman to a frightening ordeal, only to throw her belongings back at her when he found she had nothing he wanted.

“I would appeal to people to look carefully at this image and call me if you think you know who he might be so he can be held accountable for what he did.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Volume Crime Team on 0161 856 9769/9700, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Stockport Council took part in another major operation to crack down on illegal activity across the borough focusing on Reddish, Brinnington and the Heatons.

The Council’s Licensing and Trading Standards teams joined forces with Greater Manchester Police and HM Customs & Excise in ‘Operation Supervortex’ on Friday 5th March.

· Activities carried out during the operation included:

· Underage test purchasing which resulted in three premises being found to sell alcohol to an underage volunteer.

· Illicit alcohol seized in raids on off-licences including over 2,000 bottles of wine and 180 bottles of spirits.

· Two prohibition notices were issued on Private Hire Vehicles by the Council’s Licensing team following a series of roadside checks which revealed potentially dangerous defects.

· One off-licence in Heaton Moor was temporarily closed by Licensing following breaches in licensing conditions.

Investigations by the Council’s Licensing and Trading Standards teams, Greater Manchester Police and HM Customs & Excise are ongoing in relation to the above issues.

There will be an open discussion on the issue of alcohol and drug misuse, including problems of crime and anti-social behaviour, the impact of health, treatments and the negative effects on young people of parents who misuse drugs and alcohol at the next Cheadle Area Committee on Tuesday 30th March, 6pm at the Ladybridge Residents Club, Edenbridge Road, Cheadle Hulme.

The following Cheadle Area Committee will be in Cheadle Library, Ashfield Road, Cheadle at 6pm on Tuesday 20th April 2010.

Stockport West police are asking anyone who has their car registration plate stolen to report it to the police.

They’re taking it seriously, and have special screws which can be used to fix plates and make it much harder for criminals to remove them.

The police, along with other agencies such as the Council and Stockport Homes, are taking the anti-social behaviour issues in Cheadle’s Oak Road area seriously.

In addition to the regular patrols, the mobile police station is on Oak Road a day a week and some people who’ve have particular problems have had detailed discussions with the police.

Inspector Gilbertson, at this evening’s Cheadle Village Partnership, was keen to stress their zero-tolerance approach and encouraged residents to report any problems.

Stockport Homes is taking action against some tenants who have been responsible for certain problems and are in breach of their tenancy agreements.

Parenting contracts, parenting orders and other mechanisms are also brought into play.

That’s not to say the problems can all easily be solved, so please let me and the police know if you’re aware of anti-social behaviour issues either in the Oak Road area or elsewhere in Cheadle & Gatley ward.

Our Area Conditions Officer, Julie, has confirmed to me that the most recent batch of tyres dumped on Gatley Hill will be cleared away shortly.

We want to identify the culprits behind this illegal dumping, so please get in touch if you’ve any information.

Three men have been arrested, and remain in custody, after a nasty robbery at the Spar on Foxland Road, Gatley last Friday.

Thieves stole cigarettes, alcohol and money at the Spar on Friday evening, and hit the assistant around the head with a baseball bat, seriously injuring him.

Two men were arrested in Wythenshawe on Monday, a third came to Cheadle Heath police station voluntarily.  All three remain in custody.

For the first time I can remember, I found myself in the back of a police car on Friday night. It’s OK - I was on the side of the good guys. Beating crime and anti-social behaviour is very much a partnership activity these days. It isn’t about just the Police or just the Council. It works best when the different organisations come together effectively.

As part of that, councillors are invited to join the police and see what happens in these sorts of operations. (Police come to some our meetings too, though I can’t help thinking they get a raw-deal excitement wise).

I turned up to Cheadle Heath Station at 6pm and spent the evening being expertly hosted by Mattie, who’s job was to find us interesting things to see without us getting in danger. (Our job was just to do what we were told - much easier).

A reporter from the Stockport Express and two other councillors were also out with the police in the evening.

We had operation Airborne in the south (mostly around Hazel Grove last night) and operation Vortex in the north (Reddish, Brinnington).

A few different activities were happening.

Most pubs have responsible landlords, who want to see the police and actively invite them along. They don’t want trouble-makers annoying the regulars and they’re very happy for the police to put in a show. That was the situation with the first call of the night at a pub near Hazel Grove.

A later call was more serious. A pub known for causing trouble and breaking licensing rules had tens of police sweep in. Drinkers were checked by the police sniffer dogs and allowed to leave after checking. Where the dog sniffed drugs, people were searched and treated appropriately. (The dog will detect anyone who’s recently had drugs on them, but of course the police can’t act unless drugs are actually found).

In Reddish, another pub was being visited for the second time. Last time, a drugs dealer had been arrested after being found with drugs in his socks and pants, so the police wanted to make clear they were still watching it closely. However, this was a more relaxed approach. The sniffer dog went around checking but, unlike the previous place, it was a more friendly, low-key approach.

We then drove around Cheadle & Gatley just taking a look for any problems (it was all clear, but if you saw a police car in the Oak Road area of Cheadle at around 12.20am, that was us).

We also had a visit to the CCTV control room for Stockport - something which gave me a good deal to think about and I’ll write in more detail another time.

It was certainly different to my usual Friday evenings (sadly not out at pubs and clubs these days - more usually at a meeting or at home with the family). But it also gave me a lot to think about with how the different agencies can work effectively together to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime as effectively as possible, and whether there are powers we should be using better.

At Cheadle Area Committee this evening we spoke to the Police licensing officer for the Stockport area.  With over 900 pubs, take-aways, off-licences and restaurants along with some other bits and pieces too, he’s got his work cut out.

We were told that Gatley’s Red Lion Pub is being sold by the brewery and will not re-open as a pub (I can’t guarantee that, of course - just passing on the information we’ve been given).

We had a discussion about Pub Watch - going well in Cheadle but falling down a little in Gatley.

Other points of note:

• A new scheme will see people barred from all the pubs in their area if they’re convicted of domestic violence after being out drinking.
• Cheadle Hulme pub watch is being linked into Cheadle’s successful scheme.
• The police have detected less drug use in pubs than when they started doing passive checks eight months ago (they use passive sniffer dogs and check toilets for traces of cocaine).

A telephone scam involving fraudsters posing as Council staff has recently been reported by a Heald Green resident.

The scam was first uncovered in other areas of Greater Manchester last year, and the Council issued a warning to local residents on its website at the time. The scam involves residents being contacted by phone and informed that they have “overpaid” their Council Tax.

They are asked for their bank account details so a refund can be processed and a £39 administration fee debited. It is believed that several scammers are operating in the borough and the amount of the so-called ‘fee’ they ask for varies. Residents are asked to report any suspicious calls to the Council by phoning 0161 217 6014.

Anyone with information about the scam such as a name, phone number or address of the person or business making the calls to households are asked to contact Consumer Direct on 08454 040506.

Stockport Council took part in a major operation to crack down on illegal activity in Reddish and Brinnington last week.

The Council’s Licensing and Trading Standards teams joined forces with Greater Manchester Police and HM Customs & Excise in ‘Operation Mistral’.

Activities carried out during the operation included:

Underage test purchasing which resulted in one premises being found to sell alcohol to an underage volunteer. Over 600 bottles of wine and 234 bottles of spirits of illicit alcohol was seized in raids on off-licences.

A warrant was executed by the Police at a residential address on Brindale Road which resulted in the Council’s Trading Standards team seizing around 8,000 counterfeit DVDs and associated equipment.

Two prohibition notices were issued on Private Hire Vehicles by the Council’s Licensing team following a series of roadside checks which revealed potentially dangerous defects.

A public house was issued with a notice of closure for the remainder of the weekend following evidence of widespread smoking on the premises.

Investigations by the Council’s Licensing and Trading Standards teams, Greater Manchester Police and HM Customs & Excise are ongoing in relation to the above issues.

To report illegal activity in relation to counterfeit DVDs and the sale of illicit alcohol, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Thanks to Inspector Gilbertson - after today’s meeting (where we went through issues in the area), Steve and I had a walk around Ashfield Road, Whitegates Road and Oak Road in Cheadle, where I was able to show him the specific places where we’ve had problems with anti-social behaviour and crime.

Steve’s new to the job, and to our area. He’s doing a great job, and it really helps to see the places and  meet the people.

Inspector Gilbertson is planning further walkabouts with all the councillors in the West Stockport area.

Meanwhile, on the specific issue of the problems in the Oak Road area, the Police are working hard, both speaking to the individuals believed to be causing the problems and increasing patrols.

Stockport Council has continued to keep the pressure on rogue traders in a bid to safeguard borough residents. The crack-down focused on targeting rogue traders who prey on the elderly and vulnerable members within the community. The Council’s Trading Standards, Licensing and Environmental Services teams worked in partnership with Greater Manchester Police, the Bailiffs Department and the Vehicle and Operators Service Agency (VOSA) as part of the operation. As part of the Operation Storm:

• Around forty vehicles were stopped by the police and four vehicles were seized as the drivers had no insurance.
• Traders were advised by the Council’s Trading Standards team on business documentation and their legal responsibilities.
• The Council’s Environmental Services team also advised traders on their legal duties and are writing to a number of traders for carrying waste without holding a waste carriers licence.

The Council’s Licensing Team came across an alleged bogus charity collector who had taken possession of numerous items of clothing donated in good faith to the National Blind Children’s Society. The items have now been passed on to the charity and a full investigation into this has been launched by the Council’s Licensing Team.

Anyone with concerns about rogue traders should call Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 or visit www.stockport.gov.uk for further information.

Hate crime should be reported.

This is defined as:

 Any incident, which may or may ot constitute a criminal offence, which is perceived by the victim or any other person as being motivated by prejudice or hate towards the victim because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender or the fact that they have a disability.

If you feel that you are being targeted  in this way then you should report the incident to the police statig that you feel this to be the case.  There does not have to be evidence to suggest the motivation, the fact that you feel it is motivated in this way is sufficient for the police to deal with and record the incident as a ‘hate crime’.  Hate incidents and crimes have a damaging effect on communities and need to be reported in order that the police and their partner agencies can protect other members of the community who may be targeted in this way.

If you would like further information or would like to discuss any concerns, please contact Dennis Bishop at Greater Manchester Police on 0161 856 9662 or 07901 562722 or email him on dennis.bishop@gmp.police.uk.

Greater Manchester Police has launched a new cross-divisional task force to target burglars, robbers and car thieves that move between areas of Manchester and Stockport to commit crime. The Operation Mistral team consists of dedicated crime analysts, intelligence officers and senior investigation officers that deploy a range of specialist officers from the mounted, dog, tactical aid and roads policing units to support local policing teams in targeting prolific offenders.

The task force is based at Cheadle Heath police station and also includes a team of highly experienced crime investigators that is working with forensics experts and the Crown Prosecution Service to maximise opportunities to bring offenders to justice. Crime reduction officers are also working as part of the team to help communities safeguard themselves from thieves.

Further details of the initiative can be found on the Greater Manchester Police website by clicking here.

On Wednesday morning I met with Mrs Yule, the Headteacher at Lady Barn House School on School’s Hill, Cheadle.  This followed concern from local residents about traffic and parking around the school at dropping off and picking up times.

Hopefully I’ll find the time to write more detail about what the school has been doing, but for now I’ll give the summary.

The school does make efforts to minimise the problems.  In the morning children are dropped off in the car par, in the afternoon picking up is obviously trickier as the kids can’t always be there at just the right time.

Exiting the school, there are “no right turn” signs, though some parents ignore them.

The school encourages parents to be responsible when parking and driving, and are very happy for the police to hand out tickets to those breaking the law.  They regularly send out letters to parents reminding them of the need to be responsible.

Of course, most people who live near a school recognise that traffic increases for short periods in the mornings and afternoons - it’s a problem every school in the country has.

And, as Inspector Gilbertson told us at the Area Committee meeting, when you have parents parking illegally and willingly accepting the fine, with no intention of changing their behaviour, there’s little police or the school can do.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t improve the situation in this case.  I was keen to look at ways the Council could help the school to stop traffic needing to come onto Schools Hill at all.

We’re going to explore whether there’s a safe and affordable way to have parents parking off Schools Hill (perhaps Cheadle Baths or the Sainsburys/John Lewis car park) and be bussed or walked to school from there.

For both the school and the Council there are issues and challenges to be overcome; but we’re talking about it, and that’s got to be a positive start.

The Safer Stockport Partnership is encouraging people who feel they have been the victim of a hate crime not to suffer in silence and report it.

Hate crimes are defined as incidents which may or may not constitute a criminal offence, which is perceived by the victim or any other person, as being motivated by prejudice or hate towards the victim because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender or the fact they have a disability.

There does not have to be evidence to suggest the motivation, the fact that the victim feels it is motivated in this way is sufficient for the police to deal with and record the incident as a hate crime. Hate incidents and crimes have a damaging effect on communities and need to be reported in order that the police and their partner agencies can protect other members of the community who may be targeted in this way.

To report a hate crime directly to Police, call 0161 872 5050. For more information please contact Dennis Bishop at Greater Manchester Police on 0161 856 9662 or 07901562722 or email dennis.bishop@gmp.police.uk.

Cheadle Area Committee is holding a special Public Forum: ‘Underage drinking, health and anti-social behaviour’ with representatives from Mosaic, the Police and the Community Safety Unit taking part and answering questions from the public at the next Cheadle Area Meeting on the 26th January.

Cllr June Somekh (leader of Cheadle Area Committee) has stated that:

“Underage drinking, health and anti-social behaviour is a very serious problem, and this area (Cheadle sk8) has a totally unacceptable number of teenage drinkers. It is particularly worrying that many, who are admitted to hospital, actually return there. I think we need to spread the message to as many people as possible”.

(Cut-and-pasted from AboutMyArea ).

Before Christmas, the Police ran the first phase of Operation Beach, which successfully cut burglaries where it was run in parts of the west side of Gatley and Heald Green.

Now the next phase is starting.  The main objective is to get us, the householders, to be more careful about protecting our property and to keep an eye on what’s happening in our area.

For example

• in the snow, a group of lads spent hours driving around Cheadle Hulme and Bramhall in the morning, looking for anyone leaving their keys in their car while it was de-icing.
• is there a strange car sitting on your road for a week or two?  It might be legitimate, but it could be a stolen car so report it for checking.

Security tips include

• Always lock your doors and windows when you leave the house.
• Fit deadlocks to outside doors - burglars hate them because you need the key to open them from the inside as well.
• Don’t leave your car keys or house keys in sight, or in easy reach, of your windows and doors.
• Fit key-operated locks to your windows
• Install a visible burglar alarm and turn it on when you leave the house.
• Don’t hide your spare keys outside or in the garage or shed - burglars always look there.
• Leave the lights and radio on a timer when you go out for the evening, so it looks like you’re in.   You can get a timer from as little as £2 from a DIY shop.
• Don’t leave ladders or tools outside - someone could use them to get into the house.
• Don’t leave valuables like laptops where they can be seen from the window.

Burglary is rare in our area - taking sensible precautions will make it even rarer.

Yesterday was our monthly meeting with the police, the one where we go through individual issues - often in some detail.

Our area, Stockport West, is headed up from the police side by Inspector Stephen Gilbertson of Greater Manchester Police.   Representatives from Stockport Council’s Community Safety Unit, Services for Young People and Neighbourhood Renewal teams also come along.

Several councillors also make it each time  - though rarely any Conservatives for some reason: at yesterday’s meeting there were three Lib Dems, two Ratepayers Association (from Heald Green) and no Conservatives at all.  (There are no Labour councillors in the area covered by Stockport West).

Anyway, down to business.

In Cheadle & Gatley issues discussed included:

• a recent increase in anti-social behaviour and incidents around Oak Road and Ashfield Road in Cheadle.  This area will be getting a lot of focus in the coming months and hopefully we can keep the problems down.
• traffic and parking issues around Lady Barn House School on Schools Hill, Cheadle (even worse in the last few days as they’ve had to close their car park for safety reasons).
• special advice has been given to shops and other premises believed to be at higher risk of robbery, such as the Spar on Foxland Road, Gatley.
• Inspector Gilbertson is working for improved enforcement of the “Access Only” rule on the South Park Road Estate, so hopefully we’ll see tickets given out soon.  A recent survey by Stockport Council found that 80% of traffic entering the estate is doing so illegally.

Inspector Gilbertson reported that a pre-Christmas focus on reducing burglaries in Gatley and Heald Green had considerable success, with just six burglaries (compared to 19 in the same period last year).  Operation Beach involved leafleting and visiting houses to give advice and contacting schools and churches.  The aim is to run similar operations in other local areas.

The meeting also highlights the good work being done by different agencies coming together, using all the different methods available to cut crime.

If you’ve any issues you’d like me to raise at the next monthly meeting, just get in touch.

A few things to report.

I’d heard of problems at the Red Lion pub in Gatley and contacted our new police Inspector Steve Gilbertson.  He was already on the case and I was very impressed to see a mobile police station in front of the pub on Tuesday morning.  Great to see strong action.

I was told the Tatton site was open at the front a couple of days ago, so I reported that both to the Council and direct to the site’s owners

And finally for this morning, I reported a small patch of graffiti that appeared on the skateboard ramp in the Recreation Ground - that should be cleared off soon.

I’m pleased with the way we’re getting on top of graffiti in Cheadle & Gatley.  We can’t have police on every corner to stop it, but we can paint it out quickly when it happens and that’s normally what’s happening now.  Let me know if you spot any and I’ll take action.

The Stockport Express is reporting that a body was dragged from the River Mersey near Tiviot Way in Stockport this morning.  Arrests have already been made, with two men and a woman in custody.

Yesterday was our monthly meeting with the police and various Council departments, looking not just at crime and anti-social behaviour but also parking, speeding and litter issues.

Overall, the news in our area is good.  Crime is down, especially burglary and robbery, and a stronger police presence between now and the New Year aims to make sure it stays that way.

This was our last meeting with Inspector Dave Turner.  He’s been a real asset and we all wish him well in his next role.  I look forward to getting to know his successor, Steve Gilbertson.

There was praise for the manager and staff at Gatley’s Foxland Road Spar.  Inspector Turner spoke highly of the positive approach all at the Spar had taken in tackling a spate of robberies - luckily there’s been nothing recently.  I raised the possibility of beefing up the CCTV around the Spar - something the police will look into.

We noted some areas of litter and graffiti, such as St Annes Road North in Heald Green.

We were told that Halloween had passed without serious incident.  Although there was a beefed-up police presence, the poor weather probably had as much as anything to do with it.

Finally, this is anti-bullying week and work’s been done at Kingsway School on tackling cyber-bullying.  As my son told me today, even children at Gatley Primary have got involved in their weekly visit to Kingsway.

Some small improvements coming to Oak Road in Cheadle:

• A few days ago I reported the dip at the corner of Oak Road and Stockport Road, and it’s now marked up for repair.
• For a while, residents on Oak Road by Oak Court have been asking for a higher fence to improve the privacy and security in their back gardens.  Stockport Homes have confirmed that this is now going ahead, and residents will be consulted on the type of fence they want shortly.  This affects people living on the west side of Oak Road, immediately south of Oak Court.
• I’ve asked Council officers to look into who owns the messy bit of land by the electricity substation between the two sets of Honeycombe Cottages.  I’d like to see the owner looking after it properly.

I’ve received this and thought I’d pass it on.  

The Stockport West Neighbourhood Policing Team has been finding out what issues are affecting resident’s lives and how they want them resolved.

Officers have visited more than 250 homes in Cheadle, asking the community how they would like their area policed and what priorities they want officers to focus on. The main issues that people want targeting are anti-social behaviour and youths causing annoyance.

Stockport Homes Limited West Area Housing joined in with this initiative with a walkabout which was led by the Neighbourhood Housing Officer Ken Higgins with local residents and other agencies. The key issues identified were litter in the street, dog fouling on a public footpath, fly tipping on a garage site and littered and untidy gardens.

In response to the actions a multi-agency litter pick of the streets was carried out, the dog mess was cleaned up, fly tipping was removed, residents with untidy gardens were visited and a skip was provided for them and other residents to dispose of their garden and other bulky refuse.

Police have already put a plan into action and seized a large amount of alcohol from youths in a weekend operation. Visits were also made to licensed premises to remind them of their responsibilities when selling alcohol.

The Youth Offending Team Reparation team and Stockport Homes identified three footpaths that needed cleaning. Offenders on probation will now carry out the work.

In addition to this, two search warrants were executed and two males were arrested for production of cannabis and are presently on police bail.

Sergeant Michael Phillipson, from the Stockport West Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “As part of the Policing Pledge we are talking to residents to find out their concerns and acting on them. This is not just a short-term operation, as feedback from the public will enable us to plan and prioritise our resources for the future with the main aim of making the area an even safer place to live.”

Councillor Sue Derbyshire, Executive Member for Communities, said: “This is a very important Police led operation which has been supported by the Council. It is vital that we consult with residents to see how we can improve the quality of life and then look to act on it.”

As part of the sweep police referred 85 residents for a free fire risk assessment. More than 350 items of property was marked and more than 80 people joined a Neighbourhood Watch scheme.

A full list of police officers in our area, along with how to contact them, can be found on AboutMyArea.

One of the items on yesterday’s Cheadle Village Partnership was crime.  Unfortunately, there was no police representative present but we discussed anti-social behaviour, vandalism and suspicions of more serious criminal behaviour in the Oak Road area.

The police are aware of these issues and we as councillors will continue working with them to target the problems.

The issue of housing was raised, and the suspicion some people have that people with drugs problems and other issues are deliberately being moved into the area.

The truth on housing is less exciting.  Following changes in the law a few years ago, social housing has to be allocated based on a points system and local authorities have far less flexibility and discretion over allocating housing.

If you have concerns about crime or anti-social behaviour in Cheadle or Gatley, please let me know.

I attended the meeting of the Acorn, Ash and Chestnut Avenues Residents Association at Cheadle Library yesterday evening.

Among discussions of anti-social behaviour (not too much at the moment, thankfully) and dog mess there were a couple I’d like to mention in more detail.

Young people in the area are currently being consulted over whether they’d like to see a games facility of some sort on the park - over near the allotments.

Everyone’s talking about a MUGA - Multi-User Games Area.  I didn’t know what a MUGA was, but now I know - it’s one of those areas with a hard surface, fencing around the outside and lines/nets/facilities for things like football and basketball - all designed to be hard-wearing and long-lasting.

To go ahead, young people in the area will be involved in both deciding what happens and applying for a large chunk of the money.  The idea is that, rather than dropping something from on high, young people get what they want and have a sense of ownership.

The experience we have from elsewhere  - including other sites around Stockport Borough, is that it leads to facilities that are better used and less vandalised.

Another issue that came up is street signs, which are both confusing and misleading as you enter the avenues.  The suggestion has been made to position street signs on the side of houses (one is already).  This will be looked at.

The next meeting will be on Tuesday 13th October, 6.30pm in the Community Room at Cheadle Library.  All residents of Acorn, Ash and Chestnut Avenues in Cheadle are welcome to attend.   The Association is also looking for more people interested to sit on the committee - not too time-consuming.

I was really pleased that all the hard work over the last couple of years to get the library end of Ashfield Road adopted by the Council has paid off.  Once the Council legally owns the road, it can put in proper parking bays and restrictions and police them sensibly.

The legal process still has a little way to go: a last month for objections will be up on 16th October, after which everything hopefully starts moving.

I’ve also reported graffiti on Ashfield Road to the Council: the two bits of spray painting on the pavement up by Cheddle Lodge and the graffiti on the green junction box near the junction with Whitegates Road.

Yesterday I attended a meeting of the Neighbourhood Partnership Team of the Safer Stockport Partnership.

Our area covers the west part of Stockport Borough, including Gatley, Cheadle, Cheadle Hulme, Bramhall and Heald Green.  The police meet up with councillors and various other Council bodies (for example, the people who target anti-social behaviour and the youth services folks).

At each meeting, individual incidents and concerns are raised, like anti-social behaviour, parking issues, arson, burglary, vandalism and robbery.   It means everyone involved can track individual incidents.

I raised a couple: anti-social behaviour and vandalism from groups of youths in Ashfield Road, Cheadle at night and under-age drinking around the play equipment in Scholes Park.

Issues raised previously in Cheadle and Gatley (before I became a councillor) include parking issues on Silverdale Road and Schools Hill, fly-tipping at the corner of Sycamore Walk and Oakside Close,  the theft of lead from houses on Sycamore Walk and a request for “No Cold Calling” signs at the north end of Sycamore Walk.

Two pieces of good news.  First, we were told crime is down both across the whole of Stockport and in our area.  Burglary and robbery in particular are low right now.  Second, there’s work in the next few weeks to consult young people about new facilities in the Oak Road/Brookfield Road area of Cheadle.

These meetings happen monthly, so if there’s any issues you’d like me to raise, just let me know.

On Thursday 23rd July a 34 year old woman was found dead in a house on Church Road, Gatley.

A 43 year old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

That’s all the information I have at the moment - will post more when I hear it.

The police are starting police surgeries at the Cheadle Library, the first three are 29th July,  19th August and 2nd September.  The times for these dates are 6-9pm.

Had a very nice chat with two of our local PCSOs about kids playing football in the road.

Their view (and I hope I’m not misrepresenting anyone, I think this is about right) is that, although it isn’t technically illegal to play football in the road, they prefer to ask the kids not to simply due to the likelihood of property being damaged sooner or later.

Instead, the police would suggest younger children play in gardens and older children go down to the park.