New Year Concerns
In the wake of Hayling’s Petition to retain at least 2 Police Officers for the Island, Chief Inspector 600 for Havant and East Hants District, informed HIRA in December that Hayling will share police with Havant and Emsworth, following a re-structuring in January of Police Neighbourhood Policing Teams. The teams will be led by Police Sergeant Freemantle; and the Havant and Emsworth Neighbourhood Team, to include Police Constable Surridge, will work the same shift pattern as Hayling’s team to provide ‘resilience’ for one another. There will be a neighbourhood support team of 4 PCs, 2 PCSOs who can be appropriately deployed on a daily basis according to current threat, harm and risk. Allocated to Hayling on a daily basis is a double crewed Response and Patrol vehicle and there are, we are told, additional, investigative police working on Hayling as required.
HIRA is aware of the rising crime rate across Hampshire but equally concerned that the violent crime rate on Hayling has risen significantly over the past 3 years. Without taking into account violent crime reported during the last three months of 2017, violent crime is up by 53% on 2014. It is the intention of HIRA to review the new structure once it is embedded and, if appropriate, arrange for a Senior Officer to speak at one of our Meetings.
The Government’s Social Mobility scale, published 28th November 2017, indicates a ‘Postcode Lottery’ in all regions - not a North/South divide - in England that determines one’s life chances. Of the 324 Local Authorities, Havant is ranked 242 and Hayling appears to provide a 20-30% chance of social mobility (Fig. 6.8). The State of the Nation Report covers many mobility factors and coastal communities, typically, do not fare so favourably. However, neighbouring Portsmouth and coastal towns east and west of Havant rank higher. Pre-schooling, schooling and transport facilities are included as factors.
On a more cheerful note, congratulations to 2 pupils at Hayling College, whose Maths and English results put both in the top county percentiles and one of them in the country’s top 2,000. Hayling College has been praised for its marked improvements. It is also a great tribute to our community of Parent Teachers’ Groups and other organizations that they have come together to support all our five Hayling schools. Of concern, however, is that their proposed 2018 fund-raising events must be for essential school equipment such as glue, pencils, paper. Such under-funding cannot help our youngsters’ social mobility chances: perhaps they can learn greater resilience.
Havant’s recent Hayling Transport Survey has been roundly criticized as misleading in its ’10 minute’ journey time assertion. We have been told that the statement is ‘true’ because it can be variously interpreted! Given that it prefaces a Survey that we must assume, given its timing and costs, to act as hard information for the forthcoming Infrastructure Report, we can be forgiven for viewing it as attempting to prejudice those about to complete the questions. This contravenes the Economic & Social Research Centre’s guidance to Councils’ Surveys because it may lead to future lack of trust and co-operation by respondents (www.esrc.ac.uk Core Principle 6). Many feel that the Survey misses important opportunities for residents and locally employed to provide more insightful responses regarding this fundamental infrastructure.
Diary Date Wed. February 20th 7:30 pm URC Main Hall. Speakers announced in January on our website. Please visit www.haylingresidentsassociation.co.uk to view our Latest Posts on Hayling matters. Contact us also on hello@haylingresidentsassociation.co.uk and drop boxes: Library, Elm Grove; Morris Dibben, Mengham; The Terracotta Pot and Gift Shop, Eastoke; Hayling Island Community Centre, West Town.
