Newbury Business Today

It’s not enough to be seen to be doing the right thing

3rd December 2009

Email: richard.maynard@newburynews.co.uk

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TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

As we get ever closer, to what some call the ‘silly season’, the festive holidays offers the majority of us the time to reflect, spend time with loved ones, and a general feeling of peace and goodwill to all, however there is an ever-increasing sinister side to this, as the opportunist criminal takes advantage of the time of year.
 Recent figures released by Thames Valley Police  indicate that crime in West Berkshire is up on previous years. Misinterpreted, this would seem that there is an alarming increase. However, get past the percentages, and the actual increase is in line and in some cases lower than other parts  the country.
That said, business now more than ever are vulnerable to the opportunist criminals. This is were my role as the PCSO dedicated to business crime comes to the fore. Naturally the police and myself cannot be everywhere all the time, but by having a presence around the hot spots and during the hours when our criminal elements come out to play, we can deter the would-be criminal element.
Despite the excellent work achieved over the last two years, endorsed by Thames Valleys Chief Constable Sara Thornton at last month’s anniversary, the debate over funding remains unresolved. The police fund 50 per cent of this initiative, with the remaining match funded from the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP). This funding is due to come to an end in March 2010, meaning that the matched funding needs to be raised from other sources.
The Business Action Group (BAG)  committee has approached a number of businesses, with mixed responses. Many would argue that they pay for this service through business rates and various taxes imposed upon business, and that the police should be dealing with it, and in many ways they do, with the limited resources available. But as with all crime, much of the work done by the police, by its nature is reactive.
My role is dedicated to business crime, and much of what I do is proactive, that is not something the police are able to do.
At our recent BAG meeting, Russell Downing, the chairman of the group, commented: “I can see both sides of the debate, and personally agree that we do pay for a police service through our business rates and taxes. However, what we are trying to fund here is a resource dedicated to business crime, for the benefit of the business and wider community.
“It’s not just about being seen to do the right thing, but actually doing the right thing for our community. I appreciate it is yet another cost to business, but if we all work together, in partnership with the police, the cost will be very little to maintain a safer community.”
I would like to say a big thank you to two businesses that have come forward to help support this initiative, Apple Print, Newbury and Sheepdrove Organic Farm. I would also like to thank and recognise the continued support from Bayer. Without their support, this project would not have been the success it has been over the last two years.
If you would like to contact me or arrange for a site visit please e-mail me on: philip.lewis@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

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