Information on Loughborough

New expanded neighbourhood beat team unveiled in Loughborough

Posted on 14/10/2009

police,constabulary,leicestershire police New expanded neighbourhood beat team unveiled in Loughborough

People living in the Hastings and Meadow Lane area of Loughborough are to benefit from an increased police presence in their neighbourhood. 

The beat, which includes the Loughborough Bell Foundry estate, is the most deprived area in Charnwood and is in the top 10% of the most deprived areas in the country.  Twenty percent of all of Loughborough’s crime is committed in that neighbourhood and it has three times the number of reported domestic abuse cases. 

The police, supported by Charnwood Borough Council and the Community Safety Partnership, successfully applied for it to be given priority status and therefore extra resources.  As a result, it now has a neighbourhood beat team of eight officers made up of one Sergeant, four police officers and three Police Community Support Officers.

The new team is part of a new concerted partnership approach to tackling a wide range of issues and concerns on the neighbourhood.  An Integrated Neighbourhood Management Team has been set up involving representatives from a wide range of organisations such as Voluntary Action Charnwood, Charnwood Neighbourhood Housing, Charnwood Borough Council and residents groups.  They are able to meet at the newly opened The Marios Tinenti Centre on Russell Street which offers desk space for various agencies, to carry out outreach work and hold surgeries.  The agencies can share relevant information to offer the best possible service. 

Inspector Tim McCabe, Commander of Loughborough Local Policing Unit, said; “The Hastings and Meadow Lane beat suffers significant deprivation in terms of income, employment, health and education and, as a result, crime is disproportionately high in the area.  I felt we needed a greater police presence there and I am really pleased that is now possible. Hopefully local residents will feel reassured by the new expanded beat team which is working hard in their area to help make it a better place to live. 

“A great deal of good work is already being done.  A new community flat opened recently on Russell Street which is a great facility for local people.  Officers will be there from time to time holding beat surgeries and they will be working with the other agencies based there to help address a range of concerns.  They are keen to speak to residents to find out what the local issues are so I’d encourage people to take advantage of their presence there and tell them what issues are concerning them.” 

Sergeant Jamie Osborne said; “Our main priority is to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour by working in partnership with a range of other agencies.  We will be addressing drugs problems in the area and have already carried out three warrants and will be doing others where there is evidence that drug dealing is going on.  We’ll be out on the beat as often as possible and will hold regular surgeries at the Marios Tinenti Centre.  We are already getting good feedback from the community which is encouraging.”  

Tom Kiernan, the Head of Communities and Partnerships for Charnwood Borough Council, said; “I am really pleased that the Charnwood Community Safety Partnership was able to support the case for making the Hastings area a Policing Priority.  This follows the Council’s designation of the area as a Priority Neighbourhood and our financial support for the setting up costs of the Marios Tinenti Centre.  I am confident that the whole community will respond very positively to these ground breaking initiatives.” 

The team is made up of Sergeant Jamie Osborne, PC Gordon Doudie, PC Sam Whittaker, PC Tam Bains, PC Sheela Kaya, PCSO Michelle Adams, PCSO Virendra Patel, PCSO Graham Mason.