Latest Community Safety news |
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The Community Safety Newsletter aims to keep Buckinghamshire residents, businesses and partner agencies informed about what the Community Safety Team has recently been involved in, crime prevention advice, information on awareness raising campaigns and upcoming events.
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Newsletter Content: - Buckinghamshire’s Community Safety Fund
- Community Action Days
- Bucks Domestic Abuse Multiagency Training Catalogue
- Protect Your Home
- Spring Crime
- National Child Exploitation Awareness Day
- Stay OK Easy Read Website
- Extension for Wycombe Town Centre Car Parks Injunction
- CCTV Control Room assist in the arrest of an offender
- YMCA Partnership Support Event
- Buckinghamshire New University Wellbeing Week
- Riverside Walk Development
- Nitrous Oxide Amnesty Bin
- Could You be Part of Buckinghamshire Council’s Fostering Community?
- Recent community events
- Thames Valley Police
- Social Media
- Useful Contact Details
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Buckinghamshire’s Community Safety Fund |
Community Safety and Heart of Bucks are working in partnership to offer Buckinghamshire’s Community Safety Fund; a fund that enables charities and community groups to apply for a grant that will assist with projects that address one or more of the Safer Buckinghamshire Board 2023-2026 priorities.
For full details and to submit an application visit - Heart of Bucks - Community Safety Fund All applications must be submitted by Wednesday 8 May 2024. |
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During December we held a further two Community Action Days, this time in Chesham, and Terriers and Amersham ward areas.
Our Community Action Days are being delivered under the council’s flagship ‘Opportunity Bucks’ programme, which aims to ensure that all Buckinghamshire residents have opportunities to succeed and flourish.
A variety of partner agencies came together to engage with the local community. Information stalls were set up with a wide range of literature and freebies. Agencies also put on various activities, such as: blood pressure checks, environmental visual audits, crime prevention letter drops, litter picks, bulky waste collections, police and street warden patrols and much more! |
Bucks Domestic Abuse Multiagency Training Catalogue |
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Unfortunately, Thames Valley is seeing a rise in burglaries, particularly in the South Bucks area. A few simple steps can help protect your home and reduce the chances of your home becoming the next target:
- Don’t leave your home in darkness. Invest in a timer switch for lamps or your TV. Perhaps purchase a simulated TV device.
- Keep valuables out of sight and mark them with your house number and postcode using a UV pen.
- Register your valuables via the Immobilise webpage and keep an inventory list.
- If you have jewellery at home, photograph it for insurance purposes and consider storing it in a suitable safe.
- Lock your doors and windows - remove all keys from locks and keep them out of reach.
- If you’re going away on holiday, cancel any deliveries, set alarms and do not post on social media.
- Look out for your neighbours’ houses, especially when they’re not at home.
- Consider joining a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme, visit the Neighbourhood Watch webpage.
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It may not feel like it now, but spring is just around the corner, and you may start planning to tidy your garden in preparation for the warmer months. Unfortunately, statistics show that there is often a spike in shed burglaries in the spring. As the weather heats up, opportunistic thieves will start to look out for open windows, unsecured sheds, gardening tools and bikes that have been left out. Here are a few simple tips to keep your shed and tools safe: - Clearly security mark all tools with your house number, name and postcode.
- When you are finished with your tools, lock them away in your shed. A ladder left out can be used to break into your house.
- Use a good quality padlock or mortice lock on the door of your shed.
- Make sure windows, hinges and hasp fittings are strong, as this can often be an entry point.
- Fit external motion activated security lighting.
- Lock bikes to a fixed structure.
- If your shed has a window, cover it up or obscure the view.
- Don’t leave house doors/ windows open whilst in the garden, as an opportunistic thief might take advantage while you are busy in the garden.
- You could also consider defensive planting to prevent anyone coming into your garden – nature’s own way to reduce crime.
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National Child Exploitation Awareness Day |
Monday 18 March marks National Child Exploitation Awareness Day, a day aimed to highlight the issues surrounding Child Exploitation; encouraging everyone to think, spot and speak out against abuse. Child Exploitation is a type of abuse. When a child or young person is exploited, they’re groomed by being given things like gifts, drugs, money, status and affection. This is usually in exchange for carrying out a criminal activity, known as Child Criminal Exploitation; or performing sexual activities, known as Child Sexual Exploitation. It can happen to any young person from any background, culture or religion, regardless of gender. Child exploitation is a hidden crime. Young people will often trust their abuser and won't understand that they're being abused. They may also be too scared to tell anyone what's happening. Below is a list of signs to look out for: - Being secretive about who they are talking to or where they are going.
- Returning home late, staying out all night or going missing.
- Being found in areas away from home.
- Increasing drug or alcohol use or being found to have large amounts of drugs on them.
- Unexplained absences from school/college/training/work.
- Unexplained money, phone(s), clothes or jewellery.
- Increasingly disruptive or aggressive behaviour.
- Physical signs of abuse, injuries or looking particularly dishevelled.
- Being afraid of certain places, people or situations.
It’s never too late to get help – support is available: - Call Thames Valley Police on 999 if the child or young person is at immediate risk or call 101 if you think a crime has been committed.
- Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or go online
- Contact Buckinghamshire Council’s First Response Team: telephone 01296 383 962 Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5:30pm; Friday, 9am to 5pm.
- If you need an urgent response outside of these hours, contact the Emergency Duty Team (EDT) on 0800 999 7677
- Childline: 0800 1111
- NSPCC: 0808 800 5000
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Stay OK Easy Read Website |
We have recently launched ‘Stay Ok’; an easy-read website for people with learning disabilities and autism living in the Thames Valley.
We believe it is the first of its kind in the country. It is designed to provide information and guidance on staying safe whilst at home and out and about in the community, covering a range of topics such as:
- Healthy relationships
- Exploitation and grooming
- Online safety
- Hate crime
Statistics show that people with learning disabilities are more likely to be victims of these crimes, yet there is a lack of easy read information available to them. To keep the website interesting, there are also quizzes, videos and games all designed to keep people safe. It is split into two sections, one which is completely easy-read, and the other is a resources toolkit for parents, carers and professionals. The website was designed by Buckinghamshire Council’s Community Safety team, in partnership with Talkback. Talkback is a local charity that supports people aged 16 or older with a learning disability and/ or autism. Focus groups from Talkback were used to test and choose all aspects of the website, down to the name and colour palette. The funding was provided by the Thames Valley Domestic Abuse Coordinators. |
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Extension for Wycombe Town Centre Car Parks Injunction |
Buckinghamshire Council’s Wycombe Street Wardens service have led on extending the current injunction covering four Wycombe town centre car parks (Easton Street, Queen Victoria Road, Swan Theatre and the Town Hall). This has now been extended by two years until 5 January 2026 by the County Court.
The order continues to prohibit four named individuals and persons unknown from undertaking the following activity in these car parks:
• Entering, accessing, or remaining on any part of the car parks with the intention of occupying, residing, remaining or sleeping. • Entering, accessing, or remaining on any part of the car parks with the intention of possessing, supplying, producing or using controlled drugs or any alcohol. • Entering, accessing, or remaining on any part of car parks with the intention of creating or causing harm, nuisance or obstructing council staff or the public in the exercise or enjoyment of the car parks.
Copies of the order are available at each car park, and here - Wycombe Car Park Injunctions
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CCTV Control Room assist in the arrest of an offender |
CCTV Operators aided Thames Valley Police in tracking down and arresting an offender who was in possession of a weapon in High Wycombe. The operators noticed an agitated crowd gathering around a car. One member of the group left in his vehicle and later returned with a weapon. The disturbance in the area continued and the offender left the area in a car. The operators advised Police Control and kept the offender and vehicle under observation, directing the Police to the location, passing on the vehicle details. The vehicle was eventually stopped by Police. The weapon was recovered, and the offender arrested.
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YMCA Partnership Support Event |
The Community Safety Team partnered with the YMCA in Wycombe to organise an event to showcase available support that residents can access for various needs. |
On Tuesday 16 January, a range of partner organisations such as Helping Hands, Wycombe Mind, ORB, Red Kite Housing, DWP, Be Healthy Bucks, NHS, Bucks Healthcare Trust, Thames Valley Police and Bucks Public Health team came together at the YMCA to show what support and services they can offer to those residing at the YMCA.
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It was a great event and well received by both professionals and residents. The Community Safety Team and various services will continue to support the YMCA moving forward.
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Buckinghamshire New University Wellbeing Week |
February saw Wellbeing Week, run by Buckinghamshire New University. |
On Tuesday 6 February, the Wycombe Campus ran a Wellbeing Fair where a wide range of organisations such as Community Safety, Brook, Public Health, Autism Bucks, Macmillan, Mediation Bucks, Trading Standards, Bucks Mind and GamCare came together to discuss their services with students. One of our Community Safety Officers attended and discussed personal safety with the students. Information leaflets and freebies were given out and lots of helpful discussions were had. |
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On Wednesday 7 February, the Aylesbury Wellbeing Hub ran a networking event for professionals as part of the Wellbeing Week. This was an opportunity for organisations to discuss what they could offer and see where collaboration was possible. Students could also dip into the event to see what was available to them. One of our Community Safety Officers attended and had great discussions with other professionals. |
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Riverside Walk Development |
As part of the Community Safety Team’s ongoing work to help people feel safer within our green areas across Buckinghamshire, multi-agency Environmental Audits take place which include Neighbourhood Policing, Community Safety and Parks teams.
As part of the Community Action Day, which took place in Meadowcroft back in July 2023, there was an audit along Riverside Walk in Meadowcroft, Aylesbury. Following this, a number of recommendations were made, and work has been done to improve sightlines along the walk to open up the area.
Buckinghamshire Council’s Street Scene Team have done a great job clearing areas along the walk, in preparation for the Vale Countryside Volunteers to carry out the hedge laying works to benefit wildlife, as well as improving sightlines. Site users were very complimentary of the habitat/clearance works, stopping to discuss with grounds operatives and volunteers, noting how much safer and more accessible the walk was. This route is also used for Parkrun, so will benefit the 100+ weekly runners.
The site will be revisited in the spring/summertime, and further vegetation/habitat works will be scheduled if required towards the end of the year.
Regular audits will also take place across other areas throughout Buckinghamshire where safety/anti-social behaviour concerns may arise, or maintenance works are required. |
Nitrous Oxide Amnesty Bin |
The Aylesbury South Neighbourhood Team have been working on an initiative to help tackle the Nitrous Oxide usage currently being seen in the community. As part of this, a Nitrous Oxide disposal bin has been installed – the first of its kind in the country.
Members of Buckinghamshire Council’s Community Safety Team attended the launch of the amnesty bin this month. Partners gathered for a mini crime café and the opening. The bin is located at Southcourt Baptist Church, Penn Road, Aylesbury. |
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Recently there has been an increase in the use of Nitrous Oxide locally and multiple cases have occurred where people have been admitted to hospital.
You can anonymously drop off any Nitrous Oxide canisters or paraphernalia you may have, or find, when you’re out and about. Any proceeds from the recycling of these canisters will be used to fund further projects in the community.
Nitrous Oxide is now a class C controlled substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Police will continue to work together with the community and partners to spread awareness, target offenders, keep the community clean and save lives. |
Could You be Part of Buckinghamshire Council’s Fostering Community? |
With over 500 children in Buckinghamshire in need of caring and supportive homes, we are looking for more local foster carers so that children don't have to move far away from their family and friends. Foster carers provide a safe haven where children can thrive, regardless of their experiences or background.
We know that to be a great foster carer you’ll need support too. We’re here to help you every step of the way, so you can take the best care of our children. We offer 24/7 support, extensive training, and highly competitive financial allowances. When you start to build your foster family with Buckinghamshire Council, you yourself become part of our even bigger, brilliant, fostering family who all have one thing in common: we care.
Find out more about the exceptional support we offer and take the next steps to fostering.
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The Community Safety team have had a busy start to the year, attending a number of community events engaging with residents, offering crime prevention advice and promoting personal safety:
- Buckingham University Freshers Fair
- Wellbeing events at Buckinghamshire New University (Wycombe and Aylesbury)
- Nitrous Oxide bin launch, Aylesbury
- Wycombe High School – Wellbeing Fair
- Buckinghamshire Youth Summit
- YMCA Wycombe Partnership event
- Dr Challoner’s High School Mental Health and Wellbeing event
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Thames Valley Police website is full of lots of information, such as how to report a crime and crime reduction advice. The website also provides local area information - you can explore the latest crime statistics, see your Neighbourhood Policing Team and find out what's being done to tackle crime.
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Social media
Follow us on our social media channels to keep up to date with the latest key messages and crime reduction advice:
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Below is a list of useful contact details for local and national services:
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To keep up to date with the latest
news from Buckinghamshire Council, please follow us on social media: |
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