Police say the Neighbourhood Action Groups (NAGs) for Summertown, Wolvercote and Cutteslowe are having a positive impact on the local community.

A recent survey showed 75 per cent of respondents from Summertown and 63 per cent from Wolvercote and Cutteslowe said they feltsafe in their community.

Neighbourhood Sergeant, Emma Garside, said: “NAGs are a key part of neighbourhood policing for Thames Valley Police. They are a group that brings together relevant partner agencies, key stakeholders and, most importantly, members of the local community to solve the problems identified by local residents.

“Around half of the respondents from all three areas said that they knew the names of their local officers, which goes someway to show the strength of the relationships that have been built.”

David Trebilcock, Project Manager for the Shout Youth and Community Project, said: “The NAG has definitely been an effective vehicle to respond toproblems at a local level.

"I have been impressed at the way Thames Valley Police has been prepared to listen to residents' concernsand engage with the complexities of the problems experienced by local communities.

“The police and other agencies have risen to the challenge and I think the benefits are evident.”

NAGs focus their work around three main priorities that are identified after consultation with the local community. Members, who are all volunteers, take on responsibility for achieving certain tasks on behalf of their neighbourhood.

Consultation conducted during January 2009 across both NAG areas revealed the priorities as:

Summertown:

  • Illegal cycling on pavements, cycling without lights and general cycling related issues
  • Anti-social behaviour on Waterways estate
  • Anti-social behaviour and criminal damage in Summertown linked with the night-time economy.

    Wolvercote and Cutteslowe:

  • Parking, traffic and speeding-related issues
  • Dog fouling
  • Criminal damage and anti-social behaviour in Cutteslowe.

The neighbourhood policing team for the areas is now fully resourced with six Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and one Neighbourhood Specialist Officer (NSO), allowing for more active patrols of the community.

Jean Fooks, a member of the Wolvercote and Cutteslowe NAG, said: “The much more visible police presence with the new PCSOs has been welcomed by residents who used to complain that they never saw a policeman in their area.

“Our NAG meetings have given us the opportunity to share problems and devise solutions across the councils, police and local residents.”

Examples of this include transforming the graffiti hotspot on the A40 overbridge by Wren Road to a mural depicting aspects of local history and amenities, and the play area in Ryder Close, which now has fencing to reduce damage being caused to nearby fences from footballs.

The NAG keeps in touch with the local community via monthly police surgeries, which members of the public can attend, and newsletters. Details of these can be found on the Thames Valley Police website.

John Goddard, Sheriff of Oxford, added: “The NAG is starting to be a visible and helpful presence, and is responding positively to neighbourhood concerns.”