The Bradley Stoke Journal

The Bradley Stoke police team’s recently published July newsletter highlights a number of “nuisance” issues said to be causing concern in the area.

“Nuisance vehicles” are said to be blighting the north of the town, while “nuisance youths” are causing trouble at play areas in the south.

The police also say they are looking for more residents to volunteer for a proposed Community Speedwatch Scheme following a crackdown on speeding in Woodlands Lane, which saw around 40 motorists prosecuted or warned.

On a lighter note, the police report on their participation in a six-a-side football tournament at the recent Bradley Stoke Community Festival.

The footballers were PC Mark Graham and PCSOs Gary Tilling, Paul Baxter, Andy Pound, Chris Baker and Jason Green.

The station team beat nearly all comers in the football matches organised by the Bradley Stoke Football Initiative, before finally being defeated on penalties.

The next meeting of Bradley Stoke’s Safer & Stronger Community Group (SSCG) takes place at Bradley Stoke Community School on Tuesday 21st July (7pm start).

More Information and Related Links:

• Bradley Stoke Police Newsletter, June 2009 [PDF, 308KB]
• Bradley Stoke Police (The Journal)

A father of two from Bradley Stoke is said to have sparked a nationwide police hunt after eloping with a local 15 year old schoolgirl.

A “exclusive” report in yesterday’s Sun [Dad aged 22 runs off with schoolgirl, 15] claims that Jack Saxton has “gone on the run” with Alyx Leighton, who turned 15 two weeks ago.

The report says that Alyx had printed out a route from Bradley Stoke to Glasgow and searched online for B&Bs before her disappearance.

Avon and Somerset Police are yet to make a statement on the matter, despite the Sun claiming that police are “concerned because Alyx’s underage”.

Police are appealing for witnesses to an assault that occured on Sunday night (28th June) near the Jubilee Centre in Bradley Stoke.

A couple walking home came upon a group of men near the entrance of the Jubilee Centre. One threatened the man with a knife, and he was then beaten and kicked by five others. When the alarm was raised they ran off towards Little Stoke Lane.

Police say there had been reports of nuisance behaviour in Wrington Close just before midnight, and it’s believed these were the men involved in the assault.

The suspects are all white. The man with the knife is described as 5ft 5ins tall, of small build with blond or gingery spiky hair shaved at the sides. He was wearing a white or grey tracksuit.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Staple Hill police on 0845 456 7000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

The area around the Jubilee Centre has been the focus of a number of crimes in recent months.

A suspected arson attack in March saw three cars set ablaze within the space of an hour, including one vehicle on a drive in The Beeches, just yards from the Jubilee Centre.

May saw a number of newly planted trees along the edge of Savages Wood Road destroyed by vandals.

More recently, a van leased by Bradley Stoke Town Council for use by its newly-appointed Mobile Cleansing Operative (MCO) had its windscreen kicked in when parked overnight in the car park of the Jubilee Centre.

Residents of homes surrounding the centre fear that vandalism and anti-social behaviour will increase once the new Beacon Play Park opens on Jubilee Green next month.

The size of the police team covering Bradley Stoke is set to increase next month when a new Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) starts work.

South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) announced back in April that it was investing an additional £150,000 to “more than double the Council-funded uniformed police profile locally in response to concerns about community safety, anti-social behaviour and other forms of crime across the district”.

The money was to fund one additional PCSO for each of the the police teams in Filton, Kingswood, Bradley Stoke, Yate and Hanham.

The Journal understands that Bradley Stoke’s new PCSO has been undertaking training since mid-May and will be ready to join the beat team next month.

Further reinforcement of the local police team could take place after Avon and Somerset Police asked Bradley Stoke Town Council if they would like to part-fund a “dedicated” part-time police officer for the town.

The police have suggested that the Town Council might like to pay £12,500 p.a. towards the cost of employing former beat manager Claire Fletcher for 24 hours per week.

It is understood that WPC Fletcher has been on maternity leave and now wishes to return to work in a part-time role. The beat manager role in Bradley Stoke has since been taken on by PC Steven Palmer.

The Journal has also heard that there are plans to have the new “dedicated” police officer based at the town’s new Willow Brook shopping centre. The beat team previously had an office within Bradley Stoke Community School but that arrangement has since been ended, leaving the team to return to their original base at Filton Police Station.

Councillors responded favourably to the proposal at last week’s meeting of the Finance Committee, with Cllrs Robert Jones and Brian Hopkinson describing the offer as “a no brainer at this cost”. The extra money could easily be found from the Council’s reserves according to Cllr Jones.

Cllr Julian Barge however saw things differently, saying that he thought police funding should be the responsibility of central government. He also observed that as police cover is expected 24 hours a day, the quota of 24 hours per week represents only one full day in seven.

In the end Councillors agreed to the proposal “in principle” and further negotiations with the police will now take place.

Cllr Jones later commented:

“As recently as 2006 the local police team consisted of just a single constable before Jason [Green] joined the team later that year. If the plans discussed at finance on Wednesday come to fruition then we will have seen the number of police officers doubled and the number of PCSOs tripled since 2007 thanks to a positive partnership and increased funding from both councils [SGC and BSTC] and Avon and Somerset police.”

Police investigating a series of tyre slashing incidents in Saxon Way have been told that students from Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS) were seen loitering around one of the vehicles that was later discovered to have been  damaged.

The news is revealed in the latest issue of the BSCS school newsletter, in which headmaster Dave Baker appeals to parents and/or children to come forward with information.

The Examiner reported back in May that some twenty cars in Bradley Stoke had been damaged by having screws or nails hammered into their tyres. Avon and Somerset Police later made an appeal for information, citing that four vehicles had been targeted in Saxon Way alone between 23rd April and 4th May.

Anyone with information about those responsible is asked to contact the Neighbourhood Team at Filton Police Station on 0845 456 7000.