Police had attended nearly 300 incidents in Saundersfoot during the past four months, members of Saundersfoot Community Council heard at their March meeting.

Presenting a report to the council on the period November 1, 2003 to February 29 this year, Inspector Les Clark explained that the incidents ranged from serious assaults to minor incidents.

Accompanying the inspector were WPCs Foley and Charlott, and all were welcomed to the meeting by chairman, Clr. Mrs. Rosemary Hayes.

Continuing his report, Insp. Clark said that the response time target was set at 20 minutes and he was able to inform the council that his officers had achieved this for 90 per cent calls and 30 per cent were attended within five minutes.

With regard to crime incidents, he said there had been a change in the crime recording system and this would result in recorded crime rising.

Overall, crimes recorded in the Dyfed Powys area had risen by 23 per cent and this was associated with a decrease in the detection rate of 11 per cent. Recorded crime in the Saundersfoot area had risen in line with the force average, by 23 per cent; however, the clear-up rate had decreased by seven per cent.

VIOLENT CRIME

With regard to violent crime, Insp. Clark said there had been a real increase in assaults, which seemed to happen every weekend and in the Saundersfoot area this increase was 37 per cent.

He said that he was trying hard to control this problem and was working in partnership with local authorities, licensees and the media.

He continued to say that the majority of violent crime was alcohol related, with the most prevalent age group for victim and assailant being 19 years; the clear-up rate for acts of violence was about 80 per cent.

Referring to burglary, Insp. Clark said that reports of dwelling burglaries had reduced by 60 per cent to just eight. Reports of this type of burglary were treated seriously and a CID officer always handled the inquiry. He went on to say that the 'Bobby Van Scheme' had helped and was a free service offered by Dyfed Powys Police. It was designed to increase security in homes, such as door locks, window locks, chains etc. for vulnerable groups, and said that if a vulnerable person could benefit from the scheme they should contact the co-ordinator at police headquarters.

Inspector Clark then moved on to public order/anti-social behaviour and said that officers carried out foot patrols whenever possible and the three officers stationed in Saundersfoot were on duty as regular as possible on foot patrol.

He added that uniformed officers were always in Saundersfoot in numbers during the Sands closing time and arrests were made on a regular basis for various offences.

SPEEDING

With regard to speeding, Inspector Clark said that PC Dave Allen had been active in the Rushy Lake, Ridgeway and Broadfield areas, but had little success other than proving a deterrent. He said that at Rushy Lake during one session PC Allen had 'clocked' 140 vehicles and was only able to advise four drivers about speeding and their recorded speeds did not warrant the issue of fixed penalty points. He said similar figures had been observed at the Ridgeway and Broadfield.

Inspector Clark said that he had spoken to many taxi drivers and had warned them about speeding, especially in the Saundersfoot area. Targeting operations had been mounted, aimed at detecting speeding taxis, but no tickets had been issued as yet and he thought that taxi drivers appeared to be heeding the warnings.

With regard to the speed partnership initiative, Insp. Clark said that this was a partnership between Pembrokeshire County Council and Dyfed Powys Police and the detector vans were restricted in the areas they attended and urged the public to pressurise the county authorities to allow the partnership to target areas of local concern.

With regard to parking, he said that he had not received any complaints about parking in Saundersfoot during the period under review. He had supported the residents of the Glen in their request for parking restrictions.

During the period under review, 12 fixed penalty notices had been issued for anti-social parking offences, he said.

Chairman Hayes thanked the inspector for his report and asked for questions from members.

MEDIA COVERAGE

Clr. Baker also thanked Inspector Clark for attending and said that he was pleased that an effort was being made to combat the anti-social behaviour problem in the area with media coverage and hoped that this would improve the situation.

Clr. Allsop asked if the increase in crime was due to an influx of people coming from other areas to Saundersfoot? Insp. Clark said that there was no evidence of this, but the change in recording crime certainly was a factor.

Chairman Hayes asked what had happened to the Neighbourhood Watch scheme in Saundersfoot?

Insp. Clark said that there was no such scheme in operation in Saundersfoot at present and suggested speaking to WPC Alison Foley who could help in setting up the scheme. WPC Foley said that she would liaise with Chairman Hayes on the matter.

Chairman Hayes then asked if a traffic warden could be on duty in Saundersfoot on a more regular basis?

Insp. Clark said that he had one warden to cover the whole area and one temporary was employed in the summer. He said he would make every effort for the traffic warden to cover Saundersfoot at busy periods.

Chairman Hayes thanked Inspector Clark and WPCs Foley and Charlott for attending the meeting and hoped they would attend again in three months time.