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Owl Notifications - May/June 2023

Noise Disturbances

If you’re having a problem with loud music, noisy pubs or barking dogs in your neighbourhood, your council can help, click here to contact them.

For crime prevention advice please click here

Please be aware that this is not a crime reporting system, to report a crime you can call 101, and in emergency dial 999.

You can report crime on the Metropolitan Police’s website, click here to make a report.

To help fight crime, please encourage your fellow neighbours to download OWL from the App store or Google Play. No registration or Login required, click here to download.

Ask Angela Safety Initiative

Do not leave your drink unattended or become distracted at the bar, and if you start to feel unwell seek assistance from venue staff. The safety initiative ‘Ask for Angela’ is being rolled out to bars, clubs and other licensed businesses across the country. People who feel unsafe, vulnerable or threatened can discreetly seek help by approaching venue staff and asking them for ‘Angela’. This code-phrase will indicate to staff that they require help with their situation and a trained member of staff will then look to support and assist them. This might be through reuniting them with a friend, seeing them into a taxi, or by calling venue security and/or the police.

When out with friends? look out for each other and consider travelling back together, or “checking in” when you each arrive home safely.

Always call or book a cab or use a cab premises and never accept a lift from drivers on the street. Only black cabs can be hailed on the street so don’t ever hail a minicab without booking it in advance. Never accept a lift from a stranger.

When a minicab arrives, always ask who they are waiting for before telling them your name. Never tell them your name first. A lot of cab firms will provide a female driver if you ask for one, or will give you a password so that you know it is the correct minicab.

Always be assertive and remain vigilant. Look purposeful - it will reduce any perceived vulnerability.

Be confident with any unwanted approaches by saying ‘Don’t touch me', 'No', 'Go away’. If they persist, make sure you raise your voice and command them to ‘back away’ or shout ‘I said NO’.

Remember Drugs and Alcohol can severely impair decision making. Make a decision before you go out to only have a certain amount of drinks and stick to it, tell your friends your decision.

Motor Vehicle Crime

The theft of motor vehicles continues, particularly keyless cars by means of so-called "relay theft" where a transmitting device is held close to your front door to communicate with your key fob and then "relays" the signal to the vehicle, hence unlocking it.

Latest information and Advice

Faraday pouches and boxes will provide a level of protection provided that both keys are protected, however the closer the bag is kept to your front door the higher the chances of penetration of the signal from the thieves' relay device - so please do keep them well away from the door.

There is also the problem of wear and tear, and a small tear in the lining of the Faraday bag can still cause the protection to fail, so please remember to inspect these regularly.

Reducing the risk

• Keep key fobs as far away as possible from the front door.
• Fit old fashion steering locks - a superb deterrent for any vehicle, keyless or not.
• Fit CCTV or a Dashcam of the type that alerts you to movement around your vehicle

Time is of the essence when a vehicle is stolen

So if your car is stolen please tell the Police on 101 as soon as you become aware (999 if it's crime in progress), and only then should you email us at Neighbourhood Watch where one of the team can try and assist you (e.g. someone else may have reported an abandoned vehicle which just happens to be the stolen one - a sequence of events which has actually happened).

Please aways supply a Crime Number or CAD Number when contacting NHW as this makes it much easier to communicate information to officers.

Scam Text Messages

If you ever receive a text message to ask you to verify your personal or financial details never do so, you can report suspicious text messages by forwarding them to 7726. #CyberProtect

Other Police Issues

A member reported there had been a wounding incident involving a knife, by Northwood Road and the cricket club, on Saturday 10th and it took 40 minutes before an ambulance arrived. Some local residents were very helpful in providing supplies to apply to the wound. It had taken over 30 minutes for the police to arrive although some were present at the Widewater Place site.

It was also reported that on Thursday 8th there was a demonstration at the Widewater Place complex, with concerns that the offices were being used for other purposes. Police arrived using blues and 2s, followed later by the arrival of more police. Up to 10 members of the police force were present and although individuals left over time it was reported that there was a police presence for 24 hours per day over a period of 4 days. It was reported that there was a large gathering of KSIMC members from the Hujjat and they were in attendance for 4 days, although the declared event was only for 2 days (8th and 9th). An officer was asked why they were there and replied that they did not know. Another said the people from the Hujjat were feeling threatened. It was also reported that there was a regular call for prayer with associated music.

Members raised the question of why there was such a large police presence and a member related that there had been an incident of a window being broken by a shot, possibly from an air rifle. It was put forward that this could have been an accident.

A member wanted to know why the Group had police support but the village did not. Witnesses were encouraged to write to the Police Borough Commander and ask this question as it is not a London Borough of Hillingdon responsibility.

JB explained that Cllr Martin Goddard was on leave and unable to attend but he had sent a statement which she read out:-

Statement by Cllr Martin Goddard of London Borough of Hillingdon

I can confirm that the new owners of Widewater Place have not yet submitted a planning application nor have they offered any further clarification as to their intended use of the site.

May I remind residents that your councillors await sight of the planning application in order to arrive at a position on the proposals.

Concerns have been expressed as to whether the owners of Widewater Place have breached existing planning consents by holding a meeting at the premises.

On becoming aware of the advance notice to hold a meeting on 8 June 2023, I referred this question to the Head of Planning at London Borough of Hillingdon.

It is my understanding that she contacted the owners and instructed an inspection of the property before reaching her conclusions.

Her report concluded that as the meeting was an AGM and not a religious meeting and given the one-off nature of the event, there were no reasonable grounds on which to interpret this as a breach of planning regulations which would require an enforcement remedy.

Residents will understand that in circumstances such as these councillors do of course rely on the professional expertise and judgement of senior officers and hence no action was taken by Hillingdon in this matter.

Comment has also been made as to the numbers and actions of Police Officers who were in attendance at the premises during and indeed since this event. The London Borough of Hillingdon does not exert any operational control over the activities of the Police and indeed were not involved in any request to attend.

Therefore, if any resident wishes to express a concern as to the course of action pursued by the Police, this should be addressed directly with the Metropolitan Police through their normal complaints procedure.’

Councillor Palmer said that she would follow up the complaint made by several members of the community regarding the Police presence at the Widewater Place Complex and not in the village.

No planning application has been submitted by KSIMC, the owners of Widewater Place and members were reminded that a close eye was being kept on all planning applications concerns were being raised as to the use of the site without planning permission. However, the Council could not confirm the site was being used inappropriately and therefore no action could be taken.

A member also informed the meeting that dividers are being put up in an area of the complex to build a school with no planning permission being granted. All the members can do is log any actions they see or hear of and inform the Council.

A member reported that the business rates on the complex came to £1,953,375 and KSIMC had booked certain areas for themselves. They may try to claim against their charitable status and pay very little in business rates and deprive LBH of funding.

J.B. reported she was unable to attend the Police Ward Panel Meeting on 6th June, 2023 and was awaiting the minutes of that meeting from the Chair.

NOTE:- Following the HTRA meeting JB was informed that the meeting had been cancelled as only 3 were present.