I left Roydon Parish Council meeting this evening feeling somewhat angry. It wasn't because of anything the Councillors had done. In fact they all care deeply about Roydon Village. I was angry because I heard that the picturesque Roydon Playing Fields had been vandalised yet again. The latest act was the destruction of new rubbish bins, which cost £100 each. Despite, regular updates to the Police by local Councillors, and good knowledge of which teenagers are responsible, nothing is done. Roydon has no Community Support Officer at present and one well-meaning and hard working beat officer who covers a number of villages and is seriously overstretched.
What amazes me about the lack of Police action, is that about 18 months ago, the Essex Chief Constable came to a Parish Council meeting, accompanied by a host of local senior Police Officers. The Officers present pledged to introduce new style neighbourhood policing, with police on the beat. They said that Roydon would be well looked after by beat Policemen and Community Support Officers. As one Councillor remarked, since that meeting, the situation has got even worse, and there are less police in Roydon than ever before. I intend to write to the New Acting Chief Constable of Essex about the Playing Field problem, once I have amassed evidence from fellow Parish Councillors.
I know that most individual Police Officers are incredibly hard working and committed. Many do a wonderful job. But there is need to assuage sceptical Roydon residents that promises made, are more than hot air. There could be no better way than to demonstrate their commitment to Roydon, by dealing with these yobs once and for all and stop them from wrecking a beautiful part of the village.
Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering.
