The officers covering the Bournville South Area

The Police are holding public meetings in Bournville next week to offer residents advice and support about crime issues as well as giving out crime reduction materials. The meetings, which take place on the 25th and 26th February, are one of a series of ways the police engage with the community. Although still one of the safest areas in Birmingham crime in Bournville is on the increase with an extra 100 crimes in south Bournville last year.

Bournville is split into two areas for neighbourhood policing, Bournville Village Trust North Area and South Area. Whilst crime in North Bournville descreased overall by 1% last year, it increased 10% in south Bournville despite an overall fall in Birmingam as a whole of 10%. As well as the public meetings the police also hold ‘meet and greets’ and Neighbourhood Tasking Groups. Janine Wright, the Communications and Reassurance Officer from Bournville Lane police station explained why the tasking groups in particular are of importance:

Neighbourhood Tasking has a partnership approach across the city, but for Bournville the community has the ability to task Bournville Village Trust, Police, Birmingham City Council and more. For the police it gives us the chance to truly understand our neighbourhoods under the banner of Neighbourhood Policing and deliver a service that meets differing needs.

Looking back through the actions from previous meetings it seems litter, illegal parking and potholes were subjects that concerned the public. Janine Wright said: “the idea is to change neighbourhoods in the way that those who live there have a say because they truly understand their neighbourhood”.

The dates for upcoming North Area range of meetings are:

• Friday 26 February 2010 10:00 am – 11:00 am | Public Meeting | St David’s Church, Shenley Green, Birmingham, B29 1HH
• Monday 8 March 2010 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm | Meet and Greet | Christian Life Centre, Frederick Road, Selly Oak, B29 6HW
• Wednesday 17 March 2010 7:00 pm |Neighbourhood Tasking meeting | St Davids Church, Shenley Green, Birmingham, B29 4HH

The dates for upcoming South Area range of meetings are:

• Thursday 25 February 2010 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm | Public Meeting | Masefield Community Centre, Ingoldsby Road, Masefield, Birmingham, B31 2HL
• Monday 15 March 2010 7:00 pm | Meet and Greet | Jervoise Drive, Northfield, Birmingham, B31 2XR
• Wednesday 24 March 2010 7:00 pm | Neighbourhood Tasking meeting | Rowheath Pavillion, Heath Road, Birmingham, B30 1HH