Sulis Meadows' Neighbourhood Watch Scheme

This month’s newsletter          General Information       Previous Newletters

PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS

 

Newsletter - June 2008

 

Bath Police/NW News

#  Several cars were broken into on Friday night, 2nd May, in Hazel Way, also in Rush Hill, Old Frome Road and in Midford, mainly to steal satnav systems left on view. Please contact the police on 0845 456 7000 quoting Ringmaster Messages Bath 1150 (or 1173 for Old Frome Road) with any info re these incidents.   Vehicles were also broken into over the weekend of 9th-12th May in Abingdon Gardens (RM 1204) and Orchid Drive (RM 1210). Then on the night of Monday, 19th May, a Peugeot People Carrier in Burnt House Road had its rear window smashed and a set of golf clubs taken out of the boot. The police want to remind car owners to remove anything of value from the car as well as the mounting clamp for the satnav box, as vehicles can be broken into on the off-chance that the satnav has been stored in the glove box. As the weather warms up, check that all windows and sunroofs are closed after returning from a trip.

# Unknown persons attempted to force entry into a house in Fullers Way between midday on Monday, 5th May and 5.30pm on Thursday 8th May, by climbing over a fence and attempting to   get in through a ground floor window.Please pass on any info about this incident quoting RM 1170.

#  9 Travellers’ caravans entered the Park & Ride on Saturday,10th May, for the second time in one month. However, warned that an eviction order would be served on Monday, they left the following day, requiring a further clean-up of the site. At least the Tuesday milk delivery was safe!

#  A rider on an unregistered yellow moped went round the estate and the fields by Sulis Manor on the afternoon and evening of Sunday, 11th May, followed by several youngsters and another lad on a silver and red mini-moped. The police have warned the moped owner that it will be confiscated and crushed next time he’s caught

A scrambler bike with no.32 on the front was seen also the same evening by Combe Hay Lane

#  Dial 999 when illegal or suspicious activity requiring a police response is actually in progress. Otherwise, pass on information of any incident to the Bath police station via 0845 456 7000.

 

Council/Local News

#  A Community Association was formed at a meeting called by BAPP at the Odd Down Youth Centre on Thurs, 22nd May, consisting of youth, church and other leaders in the area, along with police and local council support.

A committee was set up to develop the centre for community activities by all ages.   

#  In spite of being assured that the transfer plan for the adoption of the estate is finalised, we understand a 24 page dossier of questions has been returned to Crest about various open spaces requiring the original planners’ attention. So, it won’t happen this month then.

#  Our special thanks to the 30 or so residents and children who enthusiastically gathered to clean up the Wansdyke, the area around the mast and along Sulis Manor Road on Saturday, 24th May. It was good to see so many caring about our community. Local PCSOs organised equipment and welcome refreshments. Now the areas are clear of rubbish, we hope that every-one will make an effort to keep it that way!  

#  Last month we recommended informing the council on 477688 of any rat or mice infestation which they will treat freely if it is in a residential property. It should added that this number is the Environmental Protection Dept who will deal with or give advice also about any pest control problem caused by wasps, cluster flies, fleas, squirrels, cockroaches, bedbugs or ants, etc. Charges for treating these range from £55. The best advice, however, is that prevention is better than cure! For more information look at Pest Control under “P” on the right-hand side of the council website: www.bathnes.gov.uk

#  The Environmental Health Agency action v. Waste Recycling @ Bath at Bath Magistrates’ Court was unbelievably adjourned yet again for the twelfth time until 10th July. 

#  There’s a Plant Sale & Open Garden at Brewery House, South Stoke, on Sat, 7th June, from 2.30pm in aid of Julian House and South Stoke Village Hall. Well worth a visit.

#  Another PACT (Police and Communities Together) Meeting is planned for Thurs, 12th June at St Philips School Hall from 6.30-8pm.

 

Newsletter - May 2008

 

Bath Police/NW News

#  Unauthorised motorbiking is taking place on Sundays at the Fuller’s Earth site.  These are not covered by the limitations on landowners and if it appears to be done by private individuals and not an organised event, they are probably trespass-ing. If so, the police have power to confiscate

and destroy the vehicle, once a warning has been given. If the noise nuisance affects you, phone 477477 and let the council know it is happening and report it also to the police on 0845 456 7000.

#  The blue mini-moped mentioned last month was reported smashed up in Banwell Road and the no. “22” scrambler bike has also not been seen since. However, there is now a black bike with no. “15”on it. Please report any sightings

with details to PC Martyn Bridges via 0845 456 7000 or use 999 if it is currently happening. 

#  Unknown persons again forced their way into the Odd Down Youth Centre at 10pm on Thurs, 3rd April, at 4.30pm on Thursday, 4th April, and again on the evening of 24th April, smashing seven windows and throwing debris into the building. Latterly, they also caused considerable damage to the side doors which were smashed open from the inside. Metal grilles are now being placed over the windows.

#  A break-in to a garage in Burnt House Road occurred on Thursday morning, 3rd April, though nothing was taken. With the warmer weather coming and burglaries increasing, be very careful about closing and locking doors and windows that are unattended, especially on ground level.

#  19 Travellers’ caravans entered the Park & Ride on Saturday, 5th April, occupying 52 car spaces. The council moved quickly to give them an eviction order and they left on the morning of Tuesday 8th. It may not be a coincidence that on the day they left, the early morning milk delivery to numerous houses in Rush Hill, Corston View, Orchard Drive, Meadow Drive, Poplar Road and  Burnt House Road disappeared from doorsteps.

 

 

#  Dial 999 when illegal or suspicious activity requiring a police response is actually in progress. Otherwise, pass on information of an incident to the Bath police station via 0845 456 7000.

 

Council/Local News

#  A meeting is being called by BAPP to form a Community Association to decide on the future of the Odd Down Youth Centre on Thurs, 22nd May, at 7pm at the Centre. Anyone with ideas or willing to assist in its development as a  Community Centre would be welcome.  For more info email: bappenquiries@dsl.pipex.com   or call 01225 313946. Please help if you can.

#  The latest regarding the adoption of the estate is that Crest and the council have finalised the transfer plan and a list of standard enquiries about the land to be transferred is being replied to. There is some query about a land covenant being involved. Once completed, the adoption can go ahead. Next month then?

#  A request has been made to the council to assist us in clearing litter from around the estate, particularly on the Wansdyke, in the verges along Sulis Manor Road and around the mast – all land that Crest is still responsible for.  We hope to announce a date and time soon and will value volunteers, particularly in view of the

(i) health hazard – eg: sightings of rats in some houses’ roofs, encouraged to come here by dis-carded take-away boxes, crisp packets, food scattered from garbage bags and bird trays, etc,

and (ii) the environmental issue – it can take up to 1000 years for some plastic bottles to bio-degrade, so they will stay there forever unless removed. Please help to overcome this blight.

NB: If you see any evidence of rat infestation,

inform the council on 477688 who will send their rat man to deal with it without charge.

#  The Environmental Health Agency action v.

Waste Recycling @ Bath is to be heard at 10am on May 8th at Bath Magistrates’ Court. However, a local Government Ombudsman recently ruled that the council had incorrectly threatened enforcement action and fined them £7,500.

#  A ginger cat called Tigger (aged 18m) went missing from Burnt House Road on Monday, 28th April. Any information on it – dead or alive – would be appreciated by the owners on 836158.

 

 

Newsletter - April 2008

 

Bath Police/NW News

Our next Co-ordinators’/Contact Persons’ Meeting will be held on Tuesday, 29th April, at

7.30pm in15 Burnt House Road with PC Martyn Bridges and our local councillors, Steve Hedges and Nigel Roberts.  This is the last call for subs!

# A shiny blue mini-moped being ridden around the estate by a lad aged around 12 was seen on Tuesday, 4th March, at 5.45pm at lighting-up time without lights, a helmet or registration plate and presumably therefore no licence, MOT or insurance. Being under age and driving dangerously on a public highway, he was breaking the law about 7-8 times, endangering his own and other people’s lives. The following day at 6.30pm, he was again seen with the moped returning from the fields with a group of 5 young boys and girls who took turns on it until it stalled. Unable to start it, they amused them-selves by pouring petrol from a can onto the road and lighting it near some parked cars in Burnt House Road. One of the youngsters also ran over the top of a nearby parked sports car. The police were called and they contacted the owner who was cautioned not to take it out on the road again risking confiscation.

#  Scrambler bikes are also illegal on the public highway and one in particular has been seen with a large no. “22” on the front. It is often on the Wansdyke and the surrounding fields having been pushed or carried there in an old red PO type van. Unfortunately, he and other scramblers are rather reckless in driving down paths frequented by dog walkers causing a lot of aggro. If any such bikes are spotted, please call PC Martyn Bridges immediately on 999 or pass on any information as soon as possible regarding the riders, time and location via the 0845 456 7000 number.

# Unknown persons forced their way into the Odd Down Youth Centre on Thursday, 13th March, at 9.45pm, the night after a Farewell Party was held there and smashed their way through an inner

security door into the music suite. If you saw anything suspicious relating to this incident, call 0845 456 7000 asking to tag it, “Neighbourhood Watch, Bath Ringmaster message 1032”.

# Between 7.30pm Saturday, 15th March, and 5pm on the 16th, a Mitsubishi Pajero car was stolen from Odins Road, reg. no. J291AAW. (Ringmaster message 1039).  Please be aware that older reg. numbers (especially small hatch-backs) are prone to be broken into unless extra security measures such as steering-wheel clamps or an alarm are obvious.There has been an increase in thefts from motor vehicles in Bath, so do not leave mobile phones, satnavs or other items displayed to tempt opportunists.

#  Dial 999  when illegal or suspicious activity is actually in progress requiring a police response. Otherwise, pass on information of an incident to  the Bath police station via 0845 456 7000.

 

Council/Local News

# Several men in suits, Wellington boots and carrying clipboards were seen looking round the estate on Thursday, 6th March. Could it be that council reps were meeting up with Crest to inspect uncompleted requirements before they signed the agreement? Just in case,we emailed them a reminder of several outstanding items remaining in the play areas – not that we want to hold it up! It’s time that all concerned said enough is enough and just got on with it.

# The Odd Down Youth Centre is now no longer being funded by B&NES and has been taken over by the Bath Area Play Project who are consulting with local groups to develop it more as a Community Centre. Immediate concerns are to clean up the building, remove graffiti and improve security with window grilles. The Lib Dem surgery will still be held there each Saturday from 10-11am and PC Martyn Bridges will be there on Saturday, April 19th.

# There seems to be an increasing amount of litter around the estate, particularly on the Wansdyke, around the telecom mast and along Sulis Manor Road. Perhaps another good “Spring Clean” would help, though if everyone took pride in their own area it wouldn’t be needed. We make our own environment and our environment makes us.

 

This month’s newsletter          General Information       Previous Newletters