Watching? (From Barry And District News)

Watching?

I WONDER how many readers actually saw my twenty three seconds of "fame" in June, when I, together my associate Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator, Anna Maria, appeared in a Community Message broadcast on HTV (Wales) to promote the formation of fresh 'watch' schemes.

Some people did, apparently, since we received some responses, though not nearly as many as we had hoped for. All the same, limited success is better than failure and we now have some new schemes set up in the Vale.

The Vale Neighbourhood Watch Association is now represented on an additional two 'tasking groups' set up by Crime and Disorder Partnership. These are Burglary and Autocrime Tasking Groups and both have got off to a good start, attracting representatives from key organisations.

"Organisations' is a key word currently, in fact. I emphasised in my last article, readers may recall, that the Vale Neighbourhood Watch Association was not intended to be a means of exerting control over local watches. That does not preclude the need to get our schemes more organised and we are currently trying to persuade areas to organise local associations and appoint area co-ordinators.

For more information on Neighbourhood Watch, or if you would like to set up a 'watch,' contact the Neighbourhood Watch Liaison Officer at Barry Police Station, PC Simon Rees on 01446 731627 or writer, John Walker on 029 2051 4969.

John Walker Address supplied