Community Safety service providers in East Dunbartonshire recently came together to conduct their first ‘Day of Action’ in Auchinairn and plans are in place for another in Hillhead on Wednesday 22 November.
Officers from the Council’s Community Protection Team - which includes Community Safety, Environmental Health & Trading Standards – will join Housing Services, Police Scotland and Scottish Fire and Rescue at a drop-in surgery at Hillhead Community Centre.
Several members of the local Auchinairn community popped in to the first Day of Action earlier this month to discuss a range of community safety matters and get advice and information from the participating partners.
Officers carried out a range of targeted joint patrols in the area in order to tackle key community safety issues and to maximise protection for residents. This included licensed premises visits, firework safety visits and underage sales visits (including tobacco and nicotine vapour products).
There were also vehicle idling patrols, food hygiene inspection and food sampling visits, decriminalised parking enforcement patrols (including school areas), checks for dog-fouling, littering and fly-tipping as well as road safety vehicle stops, speeding checks and problem tenant visits.
A number of Penalty Notices (including parking at schools and speeding) and other enforcement warnings were issued.
Councillor Jim Gibbons, Convenor of Place, Neighbourhood & Corporate Assets said, “The results from these joint patrols have been very positive and show areas that we need to continue working on together. Our next Day of Action in Hillhead will be shaped by the issues raised at the drop-in session at Huntershill. Not only are these sessions beneficial to local residents looking for advice but they also enable officers from across the range of services to carry out joint enforcement work to tackle the main community protection and community safety issues in the area.
“The Day of Action was well received in Auchinairn and I would encourage people living in Hillhead and Lennoxtown to take note of the drop-in sessions scheduled for their areas and to come along to discuss concerns relevant to their communities.”
Future drop-in surgeries are being held in the following venues.
- Hillhead Community Centre - Wed 22 Nov 2017 & Wed 28 Feb 2018 (10am-2.30pm)
- Lennoxtown Hub - Wed 13 Dec 2017 & Wed 28 March 2018 (10am-2.30pm)
- Huntershill Sports Ground, Auchinairn - Wed 31 Jan 2018 (10am-2.30pm)
Chief Inspector Gerry Corrigan added, “Police Scotland is committed to making East Dunbartonshire a safe and secure place for residents, businesses and visitors. The days of action, working with key partners, provide a targeted approach to tackle local problems that affect the community. We look forward to meeting as many people as possible at the forthcoming events, building on the success of the first day of action in Auchinairn.”
Station Manager Mark Leathem, said, “The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service fully support our partners in helping to deliver outcomes at a local level through the development of the ‘Day of Action’ initiatives and we look forward to fully participating in the forthcoming events at Hillhead and Lennoxtown. We would encourage as many members of the local community to take part and access the wide range of services which will be available at both these events.”
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