Dedham Vale Society Winter 2007 No 61

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One of our targets on local problems was combating speeding through village roads andwe were able to form the Community Speed Watch where thirteen volunteers were trained touse a radar speed gun and log speeding motorists in 30 and 40 mph areas. We report all driverswho exceed these limits by 5mph or more to the Essex Police who write to the registeredkeepers warning the drivers of their behaviour. The hope is that drivers so warned will curbtheir anti social behaviour. Police in turn have promised that where we identify ‘black spots’they too will take action.Speeding is antisocial and we have a number of ‘rat runs’ through our village. In particularArdleigh Road, where we have recorded speeds in excess of 50 mph. Already some seventyoffenders have been found to be exceeding the limit.Over the past year of so it has come to our notice that despite the presence of ourNeighbourhood Policing Teams, who police out of Copford, we have only a few officers tocover the area. One Officer WPC Kerry Allen, has specific responsibilities for Langham andDedham but can also be called upon, with her colleagues, to police up to fourteen villages.The fact is we do not see our officer, or any other, very often. A mobile police office doesarrive for two hours once a fortnight.We are clearly not going to get a local village ‘bobby’ back in Dedham but were aware ofthe introduction of Police Community Police Officers (PCSO’s) throughout the UK, fundedin part by the Government and the Police Authorities. These were trained civilians who patroltowns and villages wearing a uniform similar to that of a police constable and although nothaving powers of arrest do have powers to issue fixed penalty notices for a number ofanti-social behaviours. A return, perhaps, to village constables of bygone days.Colchester Neighbourhood Watch saw this was an opportunity to increase active Policepresences in our villages, especially when the Government introduced ‘match funding’which meant that the local Council put up 50% with the rest being funded by the PoliceAuthority. This was a tremendous opportunity for Dedham to have its own village bobbyagain! All for £13,500 a year from local funding, equating approximately to an average of£1.25p a month per household, dependant upon their banding. The balance is paid by theEssex Police Authority.Dedham Parish Council took the suggestion on board and began a local consultation to gaugeresidents views. After discussion at three regular council meetings and a widely publicisedpublic meeting the plan was seen to have overwhelming support. Following invitation towrite and express views only twelve letters of objection were received from Dedham householders.The Parish Council agreed at their meeting of the 10 th January 2007 to implementthe scheme for a year with a review after 6 months. Our PCSO starts on the 8 th April 2007.The Dedham PCSO will patrol all of the streets of Dedham for about 30 hours per weekin eight hour shift patterns between 8am and midnight and will be under the direction of theNeighbourhood Policing Sergeant at Copford but with advice from the village NeighbourhoodWatch.We are very optimistic about the presence of our own PCSO who we expect to make quite adifference on local crime and help protect our community from the effects and fear of crimebut perhaps more so, to have an impact upon the more vulnerable in our village by helping inwelfare matters as well and encouraging a greater community spirit amongst us all.Lastly, a plea for more Neighbourhood Watch members (who now total around one hundred).If you wish to join please contact me on 01206 323009 or e-mail briaris@hotmail.com.(Brian Hindley)10
Power cables in Dedham to disappear from the landscape sometime in 2007UNDERGROUNDINGMoney has recently been made available by the Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) forenvironmental projects in the district’s Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Of particularinterest to the Society is the intention to underground two low voltage power cables to theeast of Dedham. One of these runs from Lower Barn to the village, to the north of andparallel with the Manningtree Road, with a branch to Pound Farm. The other runs fromFlatford Lane just south of the church at East Bergholt, with a branch to Fenbridge Cottage,and meets the first cable outside Dedham. The funding to underground these four cableshas been obtained through the Dedham Vale A.O.N.B. and Stour Valley Project.Work is due to begin in the autumn of 2007. It is hoped that at a future date fundingfrom the SDF will make it possible to underground a cable that runs up the Vale westwardsfrom Stratford St Mary and north of Langham.11
Page 1 and 2: Dedham Vale Society Winter 2007 No.
Page 3 and 4: NEWSLETTER NUMBER 61 WINTER 2007CON
Page 5 and 6: ESSEX PLANNING NOTESThe Dedham Vale
Page 7 and 8: MEETING WITH CBC PLANNING DEPARTMEN
Page 9: DEDHAM NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCHNeighbour
Page 14 and 15: PLANNING GUIDELINES - BABERGHWhat i
Page 16 and 17: is not expected until sometime next
Page 18 and 19: down Monk’s Lane. Some people had
Page 20 and 21: Well, when I first joined in 1950 w
Page 22 and 23: His main interest begins in Victori
Page 24: Spring & Summer WalksProgramme 2007

Dedham Vale Society Winter 2007 No 61

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