Venture Security for Compton Lock

Twyford Parish Council and Compton and Shawford Parish Council have combined to engage Venture Security to provide a qualified officer to patrol the Compton Lock area at weekends during the late afternoons.

Venture Security run the Bid Rangers scheme which patrol Winchester city and Industrial area and have established an excellent reputation. The role of the Ranger will be to display a friendly reassuring sight and presence to the public, while at the same time deterring the occurrence of anti-social behaviour and disorderly conduct. They will also maintain a close contact with Hampshire Police with whom they have a good and longstanding working relationship.

The scheme will start this weekend and run for 6 weeks through to the first week in September. It may be extended if the need arises. The Ranger on patrol will provide cover for two hours from about 5pm to 7pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.

The Parish Councils hope that the much appreciated support provided by Hampshire Constabulary over the last two months will continue during the week days. However it is recognised that the police are too stretched at times to respond, particularly at weekends, and by using Venture Security it will provide the two parishes with reliable cover without having to call upon them.

All Rangers to be used are accredited with low level police powers under the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS). This allows them power

• to require the giving of name and address
• to require the name and address for antisocial behaviour
• to require a person under the age of 18 to surrender alcohol
• to seize tobacco from a person under 16

They cannot detain nor arrest, but one anticipates that their presence will be a sufficient deterrent.

There is no cost to both Parish Councils for this provision up to September as it is fully covered by grant awards to both under the HCC Covid 19 Scheme for which we give thanks to Councillors Jan Warwick and Rob Humby for their approval. Nevertheless it is with some reluctance that the Parish Councils felt it necessary to undertake this exercise, but clearly unless action is taken the water meadows will continued to be plagued by unpleasant incidents of the antisocial behaviour. One earnest hopes it will work.

May I conclude by thanking all on both sides of the Itchen who take their litter home and those who go quietly about collecting debris, especially after weekends, to keep the area tidy. It is noted and appreciated.

Waine Lawton
Chairman, Twyford Parish Counci