Minutes of the meeting of the Woodstock Community police Forum.
Date: 10February 2009
Present: ( Attached )
Welcome: Mr Futac (deputy chair) hosted the meeting and welcomed the large group of interested participants.
Apologies were noted for the following.
There were no minutes to the previous meeting available.
Mr Gaertner volunteered to take minutes and circulate after meetings.
Cst Andreas gave the following Crime report
In violent crime and serious crime there has been a year on year decrease on a comparison of December and January figures . The petty theft, theft out of motor cars etc has increased. Police controlled crime such as drug related arrests, drunken driving etc. arrest figures had also reduced. The police had hoped to increase these arrests with concentrated effort and were hoping to improve these arrest figures. The Sup has made further changes in that Sector teams are to be re-implemented. There are now 5membersdedicated to drug, car theft, and theft issues. Hopefully the figures will improve.
On open discussion the following areas of concern were raised.
1.Railway street 2. The squatter community at the dump. 3. Various drug selling spots
Discussion on implementing change.
Report-back on meeting with Dir Roberts
Roberts stressed that there would have to be a two way street, community involvement and police and other state engagement to improve the situation.
An important issue is that The Woodstock Community Police Forum will be asked to advise and comment on the issue and use of liquor licenses in the area.
Involvement of Business community.
There was general consensus that the Business community need to be more involved. This could be achieved by giving better feedback to the community on WCPF and also get the Wid to give regular reports on their day to day activities. It was suggested also that the business community should be held more accountable for decay and image of Woodstock.
It was also agreed that the residents need to be held more accountable for the image of Woodstock.
Possible adoption of delegation system as implemented in the CPF
It was agreed that CPF meetings should be decentralized, members to take on more initiatives and responsibilities. Chairman to be allowed to delegate responsibilities. This was Proposed and seconded.
It was also proposed and seconded that Felix drive an initiative to get the residents to also become part of the improvement district, thereby increasing the effectiveness.
Proposed To do List:
Samantha Belscher agreed to help with the administration.
Mr. Leakith Cassim to arrange meeting with total garage owner regarding security.
Wid and Police to patrol areas on an agreed roster.
An attempt would be made to have regular reports submitted to the peoples post giving the community information on the objectives and dealings of the WCPF.
News paper reports to be submitted to chairperson prior to submission.
WID offered to look at starting a business forum.
An attempt to forge closer ties between the WID, the business owners and the residents with the possibility of a Residential improvement area investigated.
Felix to distribute task list
A letter to be sent to the relevant authorities from the WCPF on the issue of the cars in Greatmore road.
>Taxi Association.
Felix thanked Mr. Leakith Cassim for attending the meeting and asked for assistance from the taxi drivers in our area.
The meeting was closed after agreement to meet again on the 10th march.2009