Published: March 20, 2008
Residents asked for their views on how Burnham should be policed

Anti-social behaviour, illegal parking and speeding are the top three issues that police need to tackle in Burnham-On-Sea as their top priorities, according to a survey of residents and Neighbourhood Watch leaders who attended a special open meeting in the town on Wednesday (March 19th).

Over 40 people filled the Town Council chambers in Jaycroft Road to have their say on how Burnham is policed and to decide what the local priorities should be addressed by local officers.

Sgt Ian Kennett, Burnham's neighbourhood police team head, explained that from April a new initiative called 'Partners And Community Together' (PACT) would be coming into operation that will invite residents to suggest what the local priorities local police should focus on.

"At each quarterly PACT meeting, residents and Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinators will be able to suggest the priorities and then vote on them. We, in turn, will then devise action plans and allocate officers to the issues," added Sgt Kennett.

The audience was asked to draw up an initial list of priorities. While anti-social behaviour, illegal parking and speeding topped the issues in Burnham, in Highbridge the audience said the police priorities should be anti-social behaviour, vandalism and speeding, while in East Huntspill the priorities should be speeding, street drinking and drink driving. In Berrow and Brean the problems center around dangerous beach driving, parking outside the school and speeding.

Sgt Kennett said crime in Burnham has gone down 17 per cent over the last year - "quite a marked reduction" - but he admitted that there are still crime hotspots in the town such as Manor Gardens and Marine Cove which "will not be solved overnight."

Chris Robertson, Secretary and Treasurer of the Burnham Neighbourhood Watch Association, said Burnham is well served by a total of 115 Neighbourhood Watch schemes, but that "there is the potential for over 800 given the number of roads and streets in the town."

He added: "We would love to make Burnham a ring of steel because by working together we can make the town safer." New members, he said, are welcome to come forward - and a new page will shortly be available on Burnham-On-Sea.com with further details.

Sgt Kennett praised those taking part in the schemes and said they play a "very important role" as the "eyes and ears for the police" across the area.

He added that 14 new Watch schemes are currently being set up and that there is the intention for every street in Highbridge to be soon covered.

The next PACT meeting will also be open to the public and will be held in The Princess Hall on May 14th.

Our photos show Wednesday's meeting in progress and (centre) PCSOs Claire Chambers and Gill Udall with Sgt Ian Kennett and Neighborhood Watch Chairman John Chalnew, Watch Treasurer and Secretary Chris Robertson and Watch committee member June Hill.