NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICING
& EARLEY NEIGHBOURHOOD ACTION GROUP

What is Earley NAG?

Earley Neighbourhood Action Group was formed on 9 November 2005 as one of the new initiatives established by Thames Valley Police for the reorganisation of policing for the community, known as Neighbourhood Policing.

What is Neighbourhood Policing?

Neighbourhood Policing is based on a national restoring-assurance programme that has been successfully piloted across the country, including parts of Berkshire. The aim is to ensure that the community and its needs are at the heart of what Thames Valley Police do.

Wokingham District Local Police Area (LPA) is one of 3 local police areas in Berkshire West Basic Command Unit (the others are Reading and West Berkshire) and is taking the lead in implementing Neighbourhood Policing within the Unit.

Wokingham LPA is subdivided into neighbourhoods. Earley consists of 2 neighbourhoods, North and South, each with its own local police constables. Together these form Earley Group, which is part of Wokingham West, which is overseen by an inspector and sergeant and has an extended police family, including police officers and possibly Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), specialist civilian support workers, crime reduction advisers and Neighbourhood Watch.

Setting Priorities

In order to determine the key issues for each neighbourhood the residents will be consulted. Residents now have a chance to work more closely with the police than ever before.

It has to be accepted that not all issues can be worked on at the same time. Input from residents will need to be collated and analysed to set the top priorities for the immediate future.

This task will be the responsibility of the local NAG.

Who are the members of Earley NAG?

It must be stressed that Neighbourhood Policing is not a pure policing function but a partnership between the police, the community and other organisations in the neighbourhood.

Earley NAG includes representatives from the police, Wokingham District and Earley Town Councils, ASDA, local schools, local residents’ associations, Neighbourhood Watch, Brookside Practice, Earley Scouts, Earley Centre Point and individual residents.

What has Earley NAG done?

Members of Earley NAG carried out a number of public consultation exercises in November at Silverdale Road shops, St Peter’s Church car park, and ASDA.

The results of these consultations were analysed and Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) was clearly identified as the major concern.

At the February NAG meeting reported incidents, which could be considered to fall into the Anti-Social Behaviour category, were considered to determine key areas and activity patterns. An action plan was formulated to address the first area identified.

Progress will be reviewed at the next meeting in March

Further information is available at:

• www.thamesvalley.police.uk - click on the Neighbourhood Policing link and then the link towards the bottom of that page for Wokingham.
• The ACER AGM on 8 March to which representatives of Thames Valley Police have been invited (details of AGM).