Derwent & Solway Housing Association and its residents are in full support of police raids that took place in Hillside recently and are keen that such activity does not create a negative perception of their neighbourhood but instead reassures that a certain standard is being maintained.
Through evidence provided by Derwent & Solway’s Community Safety Team, the housing association and West Cumbria Police have taken yet another major step towards ridding the area of antisocial behaviour and their zero-tolerance approach is having a profound positive affect in all neighbourhoods that they operate.
Since 2002, burglaries on the Hillside Estate have reduced by 40% and are continuing to drop, since the introduction of anti-theft device, Smartwater to the area in September.
And more and more people are choosing to stay in the area with the number of vacant properties in the Hillside and Pecklewell neighbourhoods in particular greatly reduced since last year, as confidence in the area builds and tangible improvements are made.
Local shopkeeper Gladys Coles says:
“I've lived on Hillside for 30 years and I've never had any problems. There's a real sense of community and I love living here – I wouldn’t live anywhere else."
While another resident comments:
“Hillside doesn’t have any more trouble than other areas and any
problems are dealt with quickly. It’s mostly a quiet and enjoyable place to live and I’ve no complaints.”
Derwent & Solway work closely with the local police, the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership and their residents to ensure that any issues are dealt with as swiftly as possible and credit community involvement with the advancements being made.
Among suggestions put forward by residents and implemented by D & S, are environmental improvements to the Hillside area, which will enter phase 2 in the New Year.
Residents of Hillside have also suggested a number of safety interventions, which have been carried out this year; a new footpath and gate by the park to prevent children running into the road and 2 hazard signs to raise awareness of the park to motorists.
Youth focused activities are on-going and some of the events that young people have been involved with this year are football, fun days, the Mobile Youth Club, Easter workshops and the forthcoming Christmas Light competitions, with the Halloween and Christmas parties a direct result of the Resident Group’s support and commitment.
Activities such as clean-up days and bulb planting have proved a tremendous success among Hillside’s young people, engaging them and giving them a real pride in their area as have the Citizenship classes, which recently got underway at Ewanrigg Junior School, with D & S working in partnership with Home Housing, Maryport Police and the Neighbourhood Support Team.
With such positive activity, Derwent & Solway want to ensure that the good work of the majority of their residents is not overshadowed or ignored.
Cathy Bennett, Community Safety Manager for Harvest Housing Group, parent company of Derwent and Solway says:
“We don’t want the recent raids carried out in Maryport to undermine our residents’ efforts and confidence in the area but rather to encourage them that we are making headway and will continue to build on these positive actions.”
Derwent and Solway recognise that there is still work to be done and are continuing in their efforts, with research into providing a community facility on Hillside currently underway.